SUCCESSFUL 
SELLING  of  the 

SELF  ST  SEX  SERIES 


"TT  isn't  the  man  with  the  right  idea, 
Nor  the  chap  who  possesses  the 

bright  idea, 
But  the  fellow  who's  filled  with  the 

'fight  idea,' 
That  usually  wins  the  prize." 


•P'P.iCE  $*.o6Y 


The  Vir  Publishing  Co. 

200-214    N.    FIFTEENTH    STREET 
PHILADELPHIA,    PA.,   U.S.A. 

LONDON  BRANCH,  7  IMPERIAL  ARCADE, 
LUDGATE  CIRCUS,   LONDON,  E.  C.,  ENG. 


COPYRIGHT,  1907,  BY  SYLVANUS  STALL. 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London,  England. 

Protected  by  International  copyright  in  Great  Brit- 
ain and  all  her  colonies,  and,  under  the  provi- 
sions of  the  Berne  Convention,  in  Belgium, 
France,  Germany,  Italy,  Spain,  Switzerland, 
Tunis,  Hayti,  Luxembourg,  Monaco,  Monte- 
negro, and  Norway. 


AIL   RIGHTS    RESERVED. 

IN    IH^    I'NITEP    STATFS.] 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS 


The   figures  used  indicate  not  the  page  but  the 
paragraph. 

CHAPTER   I. 

SUCCESS    AND    FAILURE. 

Success,  401. — Importance  of  studying  Canvas- 
sers Instructions,  402. — Why  other  canvassers 
fail,  403. — Why  our  canvassers  succeed,  404. — 
Our  books  deserve  success,  405. — Why  some 
canvassers  fail,  406  Pp.  19-22 


CHAPTER  II. 

PREPARATION. 

Is  this  business  worth  preparing  for,  407. — Time 
necessary  to  prepare,  408. — Realizing  the  needs 
for  the  books,  409. — Realizing  the  merits  of  the 
books,  410. — Failure  versus  experience,  411. — 
Requisites  in  a  good  canvasser,  412. — The  rem- 
edy for  early  discouragement,  413  ...Pp.  23-27 


CHAPTER  III. 

PREPARATION   OF   THE   MIND. 

Importance  of  mental  attitude,  414. — Determina- 
tion to  succeed,  415. — Importance  of  earnestness 
and  how  to  manifest  it,  416. — Realize  your  ob- 
ligation, 417. — Knowing  the  books  thoroughly 
and  what  you  are  talking  about,  418. — Great 
essentials,  419. — Lessons  on  success  in  life, 
420  Pp.  28-34 


270245 


I 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  IV. 

PHYSICAL    PREPARATION. 

Importance  of  physical  culture,  421. — Time  re- 
quired daily,  422. — Results  of  physical  culture, 
423. — Food,  424. — Boarding  place,  425. — Your 
room,  426. — Your  evenings,  427. — Weariness, 
discouragement  and  despondency,  428.  Pp.  34-40 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE  FIELD. 

The  choice  of  a  field,  429. — Preparing  to  enter  the 
field,  430.-— Entering  the  field,  431. — Commen- 
dations of  pastors,  432. — Pulpit  announcements, 
433. — Announcements  in  the  papers,  434.— -Class 
canvassing,  435. — Heading  your  subscription 
with  prominent  names,  436. — How  to  persuade 
leading  people,  437. — Preparation  and  use  of 
testimonials  and  list  of  subscribers,  438. — Town- 
ship canvassing,  439. — Canvassing  in  the  homo 
field,  440. — Canvassing  colleges  and  schools, 
441. — Cards  of  introduction,  442. — Canvassing 
by  congregations,  443. — Secretaries  of  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations,  444. — Keeping  up 
your  study  of  the  instructions,  445.  Pp.  41-59 


CHAPTER  VI. 

BEGINNING    THE    WORK. 

The  importance  of  right  beginning,  446. — Per- 
sonal appearance,  447. — Looking  inward,  448. — 
Have  faith  in  yourself,  449. — Be  an  optimist 
not  a  pessimist,  450. — Speak  the  truth  at  all 
times,  451. — Be  patient  at  all  times,  452. — At- 
tention to  business,  453. — The  right  use  of  the 
voice,  454. — How  to  carry  your  books,  455. — 
Handling  the  books,  456.— "Working"  the 
books,  457. — Canvassers'  formulas,  458. — Prac- 
ticing the  canvassers'  formulas,  459.  Pp.  60-75 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  VII. 

SECURING   A  HEARING. 

The  three  steps  in  successful  canvassing,  459. — 
Knowing  your  customer,  460. — Approaching  the 
house,  461. — The  salutation,  462. — Meeting  busy 
people,  463.— The  honest  eye,  464.— Which 
book  to  present,  465. — Undivided  attention,  466. 
— Studying  people  before  you  get  to  them,  467. 
— Getting  started,  468.-*-Getting  in  and  getting 
started,  469  Pp.  76-89 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

CREATING    THE    DESIRE. 

The  auspicious  moment,  470. — Your  customer 
knows  nothing  about  the  books,  471. — Canvass- 
ing people  in  groups,  472. — Do  not  be  afraid  to 
talk,  473. — Neither  weary  nor  hurry,  474. — The 
needs  of  the  poor,  475. — Defeating  oneself,  or 
repellent  influences,  476. — Mistake  of  depreciat- 
ing one's  self,  477. — Influencing  all  classes,  473. 
— Meeting  people  on  their  level,  479. — Proceed 
orderly,  480. — How  to  create  desire,  and  the  per- 
sonal element,  481. — Important  helps,  482. 

Pp,   90-106 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION. 

The  critical  moment,  483. — Reserve  power,  484. — 
A  final  "no,"  485. — Asking  questions,  486. — 
Method  of  appeal,  487.— Additional  orders,  488. 
— Special  subscription  list,  489.— Evasive  prom- 
ises, 490.— Fixing  date  of  delivery,  491.— Mak- 
ing the  subscription  binding,  492.— Transcrib- 
ing subscriptions,  493.— Weekly  report  cards, 
494.— Foreign  translations,  495 Pp.  107-120 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  X. 

OBJECTIONS. 

Expect  objections,  496. — Meeting  objections,  497. 
— They  want  it  just  the  same,  498. — Deciding 
for  them,  499. — How  to  make  ready  to  meet 
objections,  500. — The  times  are  hard,  501. — 
Can't  afford  it,  502. — Haven't  time  to  read,  503. 
— We  can  get  all  the  books  we  want  in  the 
public  library,  504. — I  have  got  a  Doctor  book, 
505. — We  have  similar  books,  506. — I  must  see 
my  husband,  507. — Am  opposed  to  buying  from 
agents,  508. — There  are  too  many  book  agents 
about,  509. — A  book  agent  cheated  me  once,  510. 
— The  books  are  too  small  for  the  price,  511. — I 
can  buy  this  book  sometime  in  the  book  store, 
512. — I  do  not  believe  in  telling  children  such 
things,  513. — I  do  not  want  my  children  to  know 
such  things,  514. — Children  know  too  much  al- 
ready, 515. — I  got  along  without  such  knowledge 
and  my  children  can  too,  516. — I  depend  on  the 
school  to  teach  my  children,  517. — My  child  is 
too  young,  518. — My  child  is  only  a  year  old, 
519. — I  warn  my  children  of  all  dangers,  520. — 
I  do  not  believe  in  circulating  this  kind  of 
books,  521. — I  do  not  believe  in  these  books, 
522. — If  these  are  such  great  books  and  were 
written  to  do  good,  why  are  they  not  printed 
in  cheap  form  at  ten  or  twenty-five  cents  each, 
523. — How  do  I  know  the  book  will  be  as 
represented,  524. — I  may  not  have  the  money 
when  you  make  your  deliveries,  525. — I  cannot 
order  now,  but  may  take  a  copy  when  you  make 
your  delivery,  526. — I  will  not  order  a  book  to- 
day but  may  take  one  later  on,  527. — I  can  bor- 
row my  neighbor's  book,  528. — I  have  more 
books  now  than  I  can  read,  529. — Crops  are  a 
failure,  530. — Orders  for  miscellaneous  books, 
531  Pp.  121-152 


CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER  XI. 

ORDERING    BOOKS. 

Importance  of  carefulness  and  accuracy,  532. — 
Tin-  filling  of  orders,  533.— Order  blanks,  534. 
—Different  methods  of  shipment,  535. — Ship- 
ping by  mail,  536. — Shipping  by  express,  537. — 
'.  D.  shipments,  538.— By  freight,  539.— De- 
layed shipments,  540. — Boxing  and  drayage, 
541. — What  to  do  while  waiting,  542. — How  to 
send  money,  543. — Handling  large  orders  with 
small  capital,  544. — Ordering  books  without 
money,  545. — Assignments  to  another,  546. — The 
cash  system,  547.—-Our  credit  plan,  548. — Form 
of  "Surety,"  549.— Length  of  credit,  550.— 
Credit  as  the  cause  of  failure,  551.  Pp.  153-171 


CHAPTER  XII. 

DELIVERING. 

Delivering  differs  from  canvassing,  552. — Suc- 
cessful dflivery,  553. — What  canvassers  say  con- 
ing delivering  qualities  of  the  Self  and  Sex 
i<-3,  553. — Mental  attitude  of  canvassers,  554. 
— Personal  bearing  when  delivering,  555. — The 
two  levels,  556. — Insisting  in  certain  cases,  557. 
—Subscribers  legally  bound,  558.— When  the 
money  is  not  in  hand,  559.— Dates  of  delivery, 
560.— About  definite  dates,  561.— Do  a  strictly 
cash  business,  562.— Postal  card  notices,  563.— 
Time  required  to  deliver,  564 Pp.  172-184 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

IMPORTANT   GENERAL    SUGGESTIONS. 

Physical  culture,  566.— Conscientious  work,  567.— 
that  tired  feeling,  568.— Rainy  days,  569.— 
Everlastingly  at  it,  570.— Be  systematic  5/1.— 
Do  not  canvass  too  fast,  572.— Do  thorough 


CONTENTS. 

work,  573. — What  is  thorough  work,  574. — An 
appeal  to  the  Philanthropic,  575. — Young  Peo- 
ples' Societies,  576. — The  appeal  to  parents,  577. 
— Get  others  to  work  for  you,  578. — Enlisting 
others  to  canvass,  579. — Keeping  samples  in 
good  condition,  580. — The  price  of  our  books, 
581. — The  people  next  door,  582. — Canvassing 
foreigners,  583. — Write  us  for  help,  584. — 
Helping  the  publisher  and  other  canvassers,  585. 
— Watch  your  habits,  586. — Your  company,  537. 
— Licenses,  588. — Recanvassing  the  same  terri- 
tory, 589. — Class  canvassing,  590. — Some  gen- 
eral principles,  591 Pp.  108-212 

Part  Second. 
CHAPTER  XIV. 

SUGGESTIVE     CANVASSES — CANVASSEBS'     FORMULAS. 

Preliminary  reading,  592. — Modifications,  593. — 
Making  the  canvass  effective,  594. — Adaptations, 
595. — Salutations,  596. — The  value  of  questions, 
597. — Commendations,  598. — Importance  of 
evenings,  599. — Canvass  for  Young  Boy,  600. — 
Canvass  for  Young  Man,  608. — Canvass  for 
Young  Husband,  611. — Canvass  for  Man  of 
Forty-five,  613.— General  canvass  for  the  entire 
series,  614. — Canvass  for  Young  Girl,  623. — 
Canvass  for  Young  Woman,  626. — Canvass  for 
Young  Wife,  627. — Canvass  for  Woman  of 
Forty-five,  628 Pp.  213-291 

Part  Tliird. 
CHAPTER  XV. 

CLASS  CANVASSING. 

What  is  class  canvassing,  629. — The  attitude  of 
ministers,  630. — Proceed  orderly,  631. — When  to 
canvass  ministers,  632. — Attitude  of  ministers, 


CONTENTS. 

633. — The  interview  with  ministers,  634. — Will 
ministers  help,  635. — Thanking  the  ministers, 
636.— The  Sunday  School  workers,  637.— Other 
suggestions,  633. — Canvassing  teacher,  '639. — 
Startling  testimonies,  640. — Discovering  condi- 
tions, 641. — Conditions  as  they  exist,  642. — The 
teacher's  influence,  643. — How  to  reach  the  boy, 
644. — Educators  using  the  books,  645. — Com- 
mendations, 646. — Physicians  are  interested, 
647.— The  canvass,  648.— What  medical  author- 
ities say,  649  Pp.  293-319 

Part  Fourth. 
CHAPTER  XVI. 

of  Sylvanus  Stall,  D.  D.,  650.— Sketch  of 
ICn,   M>ry  Wood-Allen,  M.  D.,  651.-^Sketch  of 
ria  F.  A.  Drake,  M.  D.,  652.    Pp.  321- 
336. 

Part  Fifth. 

PHYSICAL  CULTUBE  SUPPLEMENT 339  to  346 

Index    .  347  to  360 


TEE  FOREWORD.  13 


THE  FOREWORD. 

The  Pnrpose.--This  book  on  successful  sell- 
ing of  the  books  in  the  Self  and  Sex  Series 
is  designed  to  be  the  canvasser's  instructor, 
guide  and  constant  helper  in  the  prosecution  of 
an  effective  presentation  of  the  Purity  books 
in  the  Self  and  Sex  Series.  It  is  the  result  of 
large  experience  in  canvassing,  an  extended 
observation  of  other  canvassers  and  their 
work,  and  a  thorough  study  of  all  available 
literature.  In  these  pages  are  em- 
bodied the  principles  and  laws  without  which 
success  in  book  canvassing  is  simply  impos- 
sible. No  pains  or  labor  has  been  spared  in 
making  this  the  fullest,  most  complete  and 
most  valuable  book  of  instruction  to  canvas- 
sers ever  published. 

The  Alphabetical  Index.— This  book  has 
been  prepared  not  only  for  daily,  but  for  con- 
stant reference.  To  render  the  work  of  refer- 
ence not  only  possible,  but  easy  and  effective, 
a  thorough  alphabetical  index  has  been  ar- 
ranged and  is  printed  in  the  enclosing  pages  of 
this  volume.  This  index  includes  not  only  the 
contents  of  this  present  volume,  but  of  the 
pamphlet  Number  1,  Number  2  and  Number  3. 
The  paragraphs  in  the  first  hundred  are  in 
booklet  Number  1.  Paragraphs  in  the  second 
hundred  are  in  booklet  Number  2.  Paragraphs 
in  the  third  hundred  are  in  booklet  Number  3, 
and  the  paragraphs  in  400,  500  and  upward 
are  found  in  this  volume. 


14  THE  FOREWORD. 

Preserve  each  of  your  booklets  carefully  for 
constant  study  and  frequent  reference,  as  your 
attention  is  likely  to  be  called  to  some  of  these 
paragraphs  in  correspondence  from  the  com- 
pany. These  paragraphs  have  been  numbered 
in  this  way  so  as  to  save  the  trouble  of  dic- 
tating long  letters  to  canvassers  who  write  for 
information.  Whenever  you  need  information 
write  to  the  company,  but  before  doing  so 
consult  the  index  thoroughly  and  study  the 
instructions  carefully,  for  by  this  means,  with- 
out the  trouble  of  writing  or  the  loss  of  time 
involved,  you  will  usually  have  a  full  and  sat- 
isfactory answer  to  your  question  without 
asking  it  of  the  company. 

Quotations. — Any  quotations  made  have 
been  carefuly  credited  to  their  authors,  and 
the  quotations  marked  "  (K) "  are  from  the 
canvassers'  literature  prepared  and  publ 
by  Mr.  George  H.  Knox,  President  of  the 
Personal  Help  Publishing  Company,  who  for 
several  years  had  sole  control  of  the  circula- 
tion of  the  books  in  the  Self  and  Sex  Series 
by  subscription  in  the  United  States  and  Can- 
ada, and  whose  courtesy  is  hereby  heartily  ac- 
knowledged. 

The  Pronouns, — When  referring  to  a  can- 
vasser we  have  generally  used  the  masculine 
pronoun  as  inclusive  of  both  genders.  We  de- 
sire to  acknowledge  here  the  splendid  service, 
excellent  work  and  large  results  secured  by 
women  who  have  been  and  are  engaged  in  this 
work. 

Failures. — Hundreds   of  agents   fail   in   the 


THE  FOREWORD.  15 

very  beginning  of  their  work  and  upon  the 
very  threshold  of  success  simply  because  they 
do  not  know  the  principles  of  successful  can- 
vassing and  are  "too  busy/'  too  lazy,  too  in- 
different or  too  conceited  to  study  the  instruc- 
tions which  have  been  prepared  in  order  to 
guarantee  their  success.  Occasionally  persons 
will  undertake  the  work  without  any  prepara- 
tion or  training  and  secure  phenomenal  suc- 
cess for  a  day  or  two,  but  the  canvasser  who 
succeeds  permanently,  and  who  succeeds  alike 
ery  period  in  the  year,  every  day  in  the 
week  and  every  hour  in  the  day  is  the  per- 
who  makes  a  thorough  study  of  three 
things — first,  this  book  of  instruction;  second, 
the  books  which  he  is  selling,  and  third,  the 
people  whom  he  is  canvassing. 

The  inexperienced  canvasser  will  read  this 
book  and  fancy  that  he  has  mastered  its  les- 
sons and  acquired  its  principles  by  a  single 
reading  or  two,  but  when  he  begins  to  can- 
vass he  discovers  his  mistake.  He  then  finds 
that  there  is  much  that  he  does  not  know,  and 
as  soon  as  he  has  acquired  some  knowledge  by 
experience  he  then  has  books  on  which  to  hang 
additional  information.  As  he  adds  to  his 
knowledge  he  becomes  more  acquisitive  and 
the  more  experience  he  has  the  more  wisdom 
he  finds  in  the  precepts  and  principles  which 
are  laid  down  in  the  following  pages.  On 
this  account  the  canvasser  who  has  had  years 
of  experience  will  read  this  book  more  thought- 
fully, study  it  more  thoroughly  and  secure 
more  information  and  help  in  one  hour  than 


16  THE  FOREWORD. 

the  inexperienced  canvasser  will  get  in  sev 
eral  hours.  The  canvasser  who  ceases  to  stud? 
the  three  sources  of  information  indicatec 
above,  will  immediately  cease  to  grow,  wil 
eventually  become  discouraged  and  finally  dis 
continue  the  work.  The  man  who  keeps  uj 
his  studies  in  the  three  departments  we  hav< 
pointed  out  will  continue  to  grow  in  intelli 
gence,  in  character,  in  usefulness  and  attair 
and  maintain  the  largest  possible  success  finan 
cially  and  in  every  other  way. 

A  Welcome. — In  the  concluding  paragrapl 
of  this  Foreword  I  want  to  reach  out  a  warn 
hand  and  extend  a  hearty  hand-shake  to  each 
man  and  to  each  woman  who  comes  as  a  co- 
worker  in  the  circulation  of  a  series  of  books 
which  have  now  girdled  the  globe,  are  read  in 
every  land  and  have  been  translated  into  some 
twenty  or  more  languages.  I  welcome  yoi 
into  the  company  of  the  great  and  the  good  in 
this  and  other  lands  who  have  given  these 
books  their  heartiest  commendation,  and  ] 
welcome  you  as  a  co-worker  with  the  thou- 
sands of  ministers  who,  without  request,  have 
commended  these  books  from  their  pulpits  to 
their  people,  with  the  evangelists,  purity  lec- 
turers and  public  speakers  who  have  com- 
mended them  from  the  platform  to  multitudes 
of  people  in  every  part  of  the  world,  with  the 
earnest  men  and  women  who  have  read  the 
books  and  become  so  enthusiastic  that  they 
have  laid  down  their  own  work  and  gone  out 
among  their  neighbors  and  friends  as  self- 
appointed  missionaries  in  this  great  cause.  I 


THE  FOREWORD.  17 

welcome  you  as  co-workers  with  the  mission- 
aries in  foreign  lands  who  have  translated 
these  books  for  use  among  the  heathen,  and 
assure  each  of  you  of  a  hearty  welcome  by 
the  scores  and  hundreds  of  persons  in  every 
community,  who  already  know  of  the  value  of 
these  books  and  who  will  themselves  welcome 
you  to  their  homes  and  give  you  not  only  their 
subscription,  but  their  hearty  co-operation  in 
extending  the  circulation  of  these  books  among 
all  their  acquaintances,  friends  and  neigh- 
bors. I  welcome  you  not  only  to  a  work  of 
universal  blessing  to  humanity,  but  of  largest 
financial  profit  to  yourself,  and  to  a  work 
which  will  equip  you  for  largest  usefulness  and 
success  in  any  department  of  life  you  may 
subsequently  enter. 

SYLVANUS  STALL. 
Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  U.  S.  A. 


SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE.  19 

CHAPTER  I. 
SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 

401.  Success. — Every   canvasser  wants   to 
succeed.     We  want  to  do  everything  in  our 
power  to  help  him  to  succeed.     There  are  a 
hundred  roads  to  failure,  but  only  one  road  to 
success;  and  this  little  book  is  intended  clearly 
to  point  out  that  road.    Success  is  dependent 
upon  certain  conditions.     What  those  condi- 
tions are,  and  how  to  meet  them,  raises  many 
important  questions.     To  answer  these  ques- 
tions  and  insure   success,   we  have  carefully 
set    forth    in    this    book    the    principles    and 
conditions    without    which    success    in    book 
canvassing  is  impossible. 

402.  Canvassers'  Instructions. — All  the  im- 
portant portions  of  Part  I.  in  this  little  vol- 
ume  should   be   read   consecutively,    at   least 
once  daily  during  the  first  week  of  the  canvass, 
and  after  that  once  or  twice  each  week  until 
every  principle  and  suggestion  has  been  ac- 
tualized in  practice,  and  they  have  become  a 
part  of  the  canvasser's  own  personal  experi- 
ence. 

403.  Why   Other   Canvassers   Fail— With 
the   ordinary  book  the  canvasser  often  fails 
because  so  few  persons  are  interested  in  the 


20  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 

subject  of  which  his  book  treats.  He  may 
canvass  ten,  fifteen  or  twenty  persons  in  suc- 
cession before  finding  one  to  whom  his  book 
would  be  if  purchased  by  them  of  the  slightest 
value.  He  soon  discovers  this  defect  and  de- 
sires to  remedy  it  by  carrying  a  variety  of 
books.  This  distracts  his  own  mind,  divides 
and  dissipates  his  efforts,  and  renders  it  im- 
possible for  him  to  concentrate  and  secure  the 
interest  of  the  person  he  canvasses  in  any 
one  thing.  To  carry  a  variety  of  books  is 
fatal  to  any  canvasser,  and  no  person  of  ex- 
perience will  attempt  it. 

404.  Why  Our  Canvassers  Succeed. — Our 
canvassers  have  eight  books  and  each  treats 
separately  the  subject  suited  to  both  men  and 
women  and  to  persons  of  different  ages,  or 
periods  of  life.  There  is  no  distraction  of 
mind,  no  diversity  of  subject.  Every  man, 
woman  and  child  is  interested  in  the  subjects 
treated  in  this  series,  and  one  or  another  of 
the  books  fits  perfectly  into  special  needs  of 
each  and  every  person  whom  the  agent  meets 
in  the  homes,  offices,  shops,  fields,  and  every- 
where. Parents  are  always  interested  in  their 
children,  whether  they  are  young,  have  reached 
maturity,  or  are  married  and  have  removed  to 
homes  of  their  own.  In  every  family  of  mod- 
erate means  the  series  is  suited  to  a  permanent 
place  in  the  library  and  the  canvasser  can  or 
should  sell  the  entire  set.  Where  that  cannot 
be  done  he  can  carefully  and  quickly  size  up 
the  situation,  drop  from  the  set  to  such  single 


SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE.  21 

books  as  are  best  suited  to  the  persons  consti- 
tuting the  home,  or  to  the  individual  being 
canvassed.  There  is  not  a  home  into  which 
the  canvasser  enters  where  at  least  one  of  his 
books  will  not  be  imperatively  needed,  and  in 
very  many  the  entire  series  is  imperatively 
needed.  The  canvasser  has  simply  to  discover 
the  need,  and  then  whether  it  is  a  single  book, 
the  two  companion  books  or  the  entire  series, 
to  fill  the  need  whether  small  or  great,  as  the 
case  may  be. 

405.  Deserve  Success.— The  books  in  the 
Self  and  Sex  Series  could  not  have  achieved 
the  phenomenal  success  which  has  attended 
them  unless  they  had  unusual  merit.  They 
have  been  reviewed,  approved  and  most  heart- 
ily commended  by  about  one  thousand  papers 
in  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain.  Edu- 
cational, medical,  religious  and  secular  papers 
have  alike  spoken  unequivocal  words  of  heart- 
iest praise.  Many  of  the  most  eminent  men 
and  women  in  this  and  other  countries  have 
endorsed  and  commended  them.  Church  mis- 
sionary societies  in  India,  Japan,  Korea  and 
other  countries  have  translated  them  into 
eight  or  ten  languages  for  the  use  of  their 
missionaries  in  their  work.  Without  solicita- 
tion, publishers  in  nearly  all  of  the  countries 
of  Europe,  have  sought  permission  to  translate 
and  publish  these  books  in  the  language  of 
their  own  people.  The  books  meet  a  univer- 
sal need  and  are  suited  to  all  races,  to  all  na- 
tions, to  all  classes,  and  to  all  conditions  of 


22  SUCCESS  AND  FAILURE. 

men  and  women.  These  books  were  not  writ- 
ten to  make  money,  but  to  benefit  and  bless 
mankind.  If  the  canvasser  desires  to  suc- 
ceed he  must  work  in  harmony  with  this  great 
purpose.  He  must  seek  to  be  helpful  to  every 
person  whom  he  canvasses,  to  every  reader  of 
our  books,  and  to  be  helpful  to  every  home 
into  which  he  enters.  If  you  are  true  to  this 
purpose  you  will  be  able  to  present  11i<-< 
books  in  the  most  successful  manner,  under 
the  most  unfavorable  conditions,  and  will  be 
able  to  interest  and  benefit  the  largest  num- 
ber of  people,  and  secure  the  largest  number 
of  orders  in  the  shortest  possible  time. 

406.  Why  Some  Canvassers  Fail.— The 
man  who  desires  to  succeed  may  learn  a  valu- 
able lesson  from  the  failure  of  others.  Failure 
in  every  instance  is  due  upon  the  part  of  the 
canvasser  to: 

1. — Lack  of  knowledge  of  him  sol  f. 

2. — Lack  of  thorough  acquaintance  with  the 
books. 

3. — failure  to  master  thoroughly  this  Book 
of  Instructions  and  other  printed  matter  fur- 
nished by  the  company. 

4. — Lack  of  acquaintance  with  human  na- 
ture, and  of  the  character,  dispositions  and 
needs  of  the  people  whom  he  canvasses. 


PREPARATION.  23 

CHAPTER  II. 
PREPARATION. 

407.  Is  the  Business  Worth  Preparing  For? 
—If   the   average   canvasser  can  make  from 

»0  to  $50.00  per  week,  and  the  excep- 
tional man  occasionally  even  more;  if  the 
work  brings  good  health,  secures  that  ac- 
quaintance with  human  nature  which  equips 
a  man  as  nothing  else  will  for  success  as  a 
merchant,  a  minister,  a  physician,  a  lawyer,  a 
statesman,  and  every  other  position  in  life, 
and  is  as  essential  to  life's  largest  success  as 
a  college  training  itself,  then  it  surely  is  worth 
preparing  for.  But  it  does  more  than  give  the 
canvasser  for  the  Purity  Books  in  the  Self  and 
Sex  Series  a  profitable  employment.  It  makes 
him  a  public  benefactor,  a  blessing  to  the  gen- 
eration and  the  age  in  which  he  lives,  and  it 
makes  his  work  tell,  not  only  for  time,  but  for 
eternity. 

408.  The  Necessary  Time.— If  it  takes  two 
or  three  years  to  learn  to  make  a  coat  or  a  pair 
of  shoes,  to  lay  bricks  or  to  learn  the  trade 
of  a  carpenter,  or  printer  or  mechanic;  if  it 
takes  three  or  four  years  of  special  study  to 
prepare  for  one  of  the  professions  after  a  col- 
lege  course   has   been   completed,   if  it  takes 
years  of  training  and  experience  in  order  to 


24  PREPARATION. 

make  a  successful  business  man,  then  surely 
no  canvasser  should  expect  without  thought, 
without  study  and  without  preparation  to 
succeed  in  an  undertaking  which  requires  an 
equipment  the  same  as  any  other  useful  occu- 
pation in  life.  Time  spent  in  preparation,  is 
time  well  spent.  Note  your  qualifications, 
study  your  deficiencies,  strengthen  your  weak 
points,  and  if  you  find  any  lack  in  the  litera- 
ture, correspondence  or  instruction  which  you 
receive  from  the  company,  write  and  ask  us 
for  the  very  thing  you  need.  Before  doing  so, 
however,  refer  to  the  alphabetical  index  at  the 
back  of  this  book  which  shows  you  fully  what 
this  book  and  the  other  literature  furnished 
contains.  If  you  do  not  find  what  you  need, 
write  at  once,  and  write  frankly  and  fully. 
It  will  be  not  only  our  privilege,  but  our  pleas- 
ure to  assist  you.  We  desire  to  be  of  the 
greatest  possible  help  to  you. 

409.  Realizing  the  Needs  for  the  Books.— 
In  order  to  succeed  every  canvasser  should 
realize  the  universal  need  which  exists  for  the 
widest  possible  dissemination  of  the  informa- 
tion contained  in  these  books.  He  should 
carefully  study  the  canvasses,  read  the  letters 
from  young  people  and  from  the  erring,  the 
pamphlet  on  "Parental  Honesty, "  the  special 
canvasses  of  pastors,  teachers,  physicians  and 
others  found  in  the  latter  parts  of  this  book. 
Let  him  think  of  his  own  experience  and  the 
experience  of  others  whom  he  has  personally 
known.  Evidences  of  solitary  and  social  vice, 


PREPARATION.  25 

the  testimony  of  unhappy  homes  and  of  di- 
vorce courts,  of  children  defrauded  of  their 
rights  to  be  well-born,  properly  taught  and 
made  intelligent.  These  and  many  other 
things  show  the  needs  for  the  widest  possible 
dissemination  of  these  books. 

410.  Realizing  the  Merits  of  the  Books.— 
To  realize  the  merits  of  the  books,  the  books 
themselves  must  be  thoroughly  and  carefully 
studied.      Every    canvasser    should    not    only 
read  carefully  each  one  of  the  books  in  the 
series,   but   should   seek  to  read   one   or  two 
chapters  from  one  or  other  of  the  books  each 
day,  so  long  as  he  is  engaged  in  the  work  of 
canvassing.     This  will  always  keep  his  mind 
fresh,  and  if  he  has  forgotten  the  merits  of 
other  chapters,   he  will  still  have  something 
upon  which  to  talk  during  that  day  which  is 
fresh  and  new  to  his  own  mind,  and  which 
would  be  of  interest  to  his  customer. 

411.  Theory  Versus   Experience. — Instruc- 
tion amounts  only  to  theory  with  one  who  has 
had  no  experience.     All  the  books  of  instruc- 
tion will  not  make  a  canvasser  of  a  man  who 
is   without   experience.     After   a  young  man 
has  gone   through   a  university,   and  has  de- 
voted  three   or   four  years   to   training  in   a 
medical  college  he  is  only  a  physician  in  the- 
ory.    He  is  not  one  in  practice.     His  train- 
ing is  not  complete  until  he  has  had  the  prac- 
tice.    When  he  begins  his  practice  he  must 
also  continue  his  studies.    It  is  the  same  with 


26  PREPARATION. 

every  other  profession.  It  is  the  same  with  a 
canvasser.  It  is  absolutely  essential  that  he 
should  master  all  of  the  instructions.  After 
that  he  must  begin  to  put  them  into  practice. 
When  he  begins  the  actual  work  he  will  dis- 
cover the  value  of  the  instruction,  and  if  he 
is  wise  he  will  continue  persistently  to  review 
and  to  reimpress  the  different  principles  more 
and  more  deeply  upon  his  mind.  After  he  has 
actually  begun  his  canvass  he  will  be  likely  to 
ask  himself  seriously,  what  are  the  requisites 
in  a  good  canvasser. 

412.  Requisites    in    a    Good    Canvasser. — 
They  are  the  following: 

1.  Intelligence    and    thorough    acquaintance 
with  the  books  for  which  he  is  canvassing. 

2.  Energy  and  a  willingness  to  work  from 
eight  to  twelve  hours  a  day. 

3.  Thoroughness  and  indomitable  persever- 
ance. 

413.  Do    Not   be    Discouraged. — A   person 
may  learn  to  swim  under  the  eye  of  an  in- 
structor and  in  a  pool  that  does  not  have  a 
ripple,  and  where  he  can  touch  bottom  at  any 
moment.    That  is  experience  of  one  kind.  But 
when  he  strikes  out  for  the  first  time  from  the 
bank   of   a  river,   or  from  the  beach   of  the 
ocean  and  breasts  the  waves,  his  courage  is 
tested,  and  he  is  likely  to  hesitate  or  falter. 
In  that  state   of  mind  he  may  even   totally 
abandon  his  purpose  ever  to  become  a  swim- 
mer.    The  same  is  true  of  a  canvasser.     His 


PREPARATION.  27 

first  week  is  his  testing  time.  This  is  es- 
pecially true  the  first  day,  and  the  first  hour. 
Hope  lifts  him  up,  or  fear  casts  him  down.  He 
rises  and  sinks  as  the  alternating  waves  and 
depressions  of  success  and  failure  sweep  by. 
Some  breakers  sweep  over  him,  he  gasps  for 
breath,  but  if  he  has  the  right  mind  and  met- 
tle, instead  of  being  discouraged,  he  will  come 
to  the  end  of  his  first  day's  work  with  that 
sense  of  relish  and  enjoyment  which  charac- 
terizes one  who  has  dipped  for  the  first  time 
into  the  briny  deep. 

Expect  great  things  from  the  beginning,  but 
do  not  be  discouraged  if  you  do  not  obtain 
them.  Go  back  to  the  rules  and  principles 
which  have  made  others  successful.  Deter- 
mine to  persevere  for  a  month,  and  if  you  do 
not  attain  some  degree  of  success,  then  it 
will  be  early  enough  to  discuss  the  question 
of  turning  your  attention  to  something  else. 
If  others  make  a  success  of  it,  so  can  you.  If 
this  kind  of  experience  has  made  great  men  of 
others,  it  will  make  a  great  success  of  you. 
If  you  allow  yourself  to  fail  in  this,  you  will 
be  more  likely  to  fail  in  every  other  effort 
you  make  in  life.  Read  the  paragraph  on 
"Preparation  Essential,"  page  12  in  Booklet 
No.  2. 


28  PREPARATION  OF  THE  MIND. 

CHAPTER  III. 
PREPARATION  OF  THE  MIND. 

414.    Mental  Attitude.— Much  will  do; 
upon    the    mental    attitude.      Every    student 
knows  of  the  influence  of  mind  over  matter. 
The   canvasser  should  know   also  of  the  in- 
fluence of  the  mind  over  man— of 
over  himself,  and  over  others  as  well.     The 
man  who  is  fully  persuaded  in  his  own  i: 
the  resolute,  the  determined  man — is  well-nigh 
invincible.     The  mental  attitude  not  only  af- 
fects one's  bearing,  but  its  influence  is  felt 
even  before  one  utters  a  word.     The  success 
of  such  a  man  is  assured  from  the  lx  -inniiiLr. 
He  intends  to  succeed,  is  determined  to 
ceed.    He  does  not  know  what  failure  means, 
and  the  consequence  is  that  he  does  not 
but  that  he  does  succeed.    When  he  meet- 
difficulties  he  studies  how  to  overcome  them. 
When  an  objection  is  raised,  he  studies  how  to 
answer  it,  and  to  answer  it  so  that  it  stays 
answered  in  the  mind  of  the  person  who  made 
the  objection.     The  proper  mental  attitude  is 
reflected  in  the  countenance   and  makes  one 
present  a  confident,  smiling,  triumphant  face 
that  will  be  sure  to  sweep  all  obstacles  out  of 
the  way,  and  it  will  be  reflected  in  the  coun- 
tenance of  your  customer  as  surely  as  if  the 
sun's  rays  had  fallen  across  it. 


PREPARATION  OF  THE  MIND.  29 

415.  Determine  to  Succeed.— Start  out  with 
a  determination  to  succeed.     Work  systemat- 
ically and  remember  that  energy  and  perse- 
verance are  necessary  to  success  in  any  and 
every   undertaking.     Do   not   be   discouraged 
by  a  few  rebuffs.     You  may  canvass  a  dozen 
persons  and  fail  in  every  instance,  but  perse- 
vere,  and   your  success  is   assured.     Experi- 
ence will  teach  you  how  to  approach  people, 
and  perseverance  will  bring  success.    A  little 
experience,  an  ample  store  of  good  common 

1  and  an  indomitable  perseverance  are 
indispensable  requisites  in  a  good  canvasser. 
Push,  pluck  and  energy  are  essential.  Re- 
member the  old  adage,  "Luck  is  a  fool,  pluck 
is  everything. "  Believe  in  yourself,  believe  in 
your  books,  go  forth  with  confidence  and  your 
success  is  assured. 

416.  Be     Intensely     in     Earnest.— "  This 
should   be    manifest   in   your   tone    of   voice, 
sparkling  eye,  and  every  step  and  gesture.    It 
is  essential  to  all  successful  soliciting.    To  sell 
these  books  best  you  must  be  possessed  with 
an  enthusiasm  for  saving  your  fellows.       In 
saving  them  you  save  yourself.    Suppose  you 
discover  a  neighbor's  house  on  fire;  do  you 
think  any  one  would  be  so  indifferent  or  busy 
that  you  could  not  secure  attention?    Should 
the  caving  in  of  a  mine  imprison  the  toilers 
in  the  earth,  could  you  not  arouse  an  entire 
community  to  go  as  one  man  to  the  rescue? 
When   Mr.   Cudahy's   son  was   kidnapped  in 
Omaha,  a  ransom  of  $25,000  soon  restored  him 


30  PREPARATION  OF  THE  MIND. 

to  his  parents.  But  there  are  sons  and  daugh- 
ters in  every  community  who  are  being  worse 
than  kidnapped  and  no  amount  of  money  can 
bring  them  back  sound  and  well.  You  have 
started  to  reclaim  them  and  also  to  do  a  still 
greater  work  in  preventing  others  from  fall- 
ing. Not  children  only,  but  parents  of  hiirh 
and  low  degree  must  be  aroused.  Win  MI  Kinir 
David  so  anxiously  inquired,  'Is  the  youni? 
man  Absalom  safef  it  was  forty  years  too 
late.  The  writer  learned  of  a  wealthy  man 
who  offered  any  minister  $10,000  to  reform  his 
son;  but  that  son  was  deaf  to  their  appeals — 
it  was  too  late.  At  the  dedication  of  the  in- 
stitute for  boys  in  New  York,  Oliver  Wendell 
Holmes  said,  'If  this  institution  saves  one 
boy,  it  will  pay  for  the  entire  structure.' 
'What!'  inquired  a  listener,  'do  you  mean 
to  say  that  one  boy  is  worth  more  than  all 
the  brick,  stone,  lumber,  steel  and  years  of 
labor  necessary  to  erect  this  mighty  building?' 
Holmes  replied,  'If  it  were  my  boy,  he 
When  you  add  to  this  estimate  what  the  Mas- 
ter Himself  said,  'What  shall  it  profit  a  man 
if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose  his  own 
soul?'  you  will  begin  to  have  some  concep- 
tion of  the  mighty  work  in  which  you  are  en^ 
gaged.  It  is  a  greater  work  to  keep  people 
from  falling  than  to  reclaim  the  fallen." — 
(K.) 

417.  Realize  Your  Obligation. — When  en- 
tering upon  this  work  of  canvassing  realize 
your  obligation  to  yourself,  to  your  parents, 


PREPARATION  OF  THE  MIND.  31 

to  your  friends,  to  the  Publishers,  to  the  com- 
munity m  which  you  should  be  interested,  and 
r  own  future  success  in  life.     To  this 
end,  make  thorough  preparation  for  the  work 
in  the  right  way  and  at  the  right  time, 
t  apart  at  least  eight  hours  each  day  for 
solid,   conscientious   work. 

418.    Know  What  You  Are  Talking  About. 

-No  canvasser  can  do  his  best  work  until  he 
knows  his  books  thoroughly.     He  must  read 
them,  and  reread  them  again  and  again.     If 
he  does  not  know  them,  if  he  is  not  enthusi- 
astic over  them,  he  cannot  impress  others  or 
impart    his    enthusiasm.     Water   cannot  rise 
higher  than  its  own  level.  If  you  are  not  inter- 
ested in  the  books  yourself,  you  surely  cannot 
interest  others.     If  you  do  not  awaken  their 
interest  you  cannot  secure  their  subscription. 
You    must    assume    that    the    people    know 
nothing  of  the  books.     They  have  never  seen 
them,  possibly  never  heard  of  them,  are  not 
interested  in  them  and  consequently  do  not 
want  to  buy  them.    It  is  for  you  to  change  the 
entire  situation.    If  you  want  to  bring  them  to 
the  right  mental  attitude,  you  must  have  the 
right    mental    attitude    yourself.     You   must 
be  so  much  interested  and  so  familiar  with 
the  books,  and  be  able  to  talk  of  them,  and  in 
such  a  manner,  as  to  create  an  interest  in  the 
minds  of  others.     Study  our  Canvasses  thor- 
oughly, but  experience  will  give  you  new  ideas 
and  teach  you  how  to  use  them.   No  canvasser 
ever  carried  a  better,  more  needed  or  more  im- 


32  PREPARATION  OF  THE  MIND. 

portant  set  of  books.  Be  fully  persuaded  in 
your  own  mind  in  these  matters.  Impart  your 
enthusiasm  to  every  person  whom  you  canvass. 
No  person  can  afford  to  be  ignorant  of  the 
full,  frank  and  pure  presentations  of  the  truth 
which  these  books  contain. 

419.  The  Great  Essentials. — If  a  canvas- 
ser desires  to  go  at  his  work  like  a  conquer- 
ing hero,  sweeping  everything  before  him,  he 
can  do  it.  Wliat  makes  a  conquering  hero? 
A  great  purpose,  self  mastery,  a  disciplined 
army,  thorough  acquaintance  with  the  field 
upon  which  he  is  to  fight,  a  knowledge  of  every 
foot  of  country  that  must  be  traversed  to 
reach  that  field,  thorough  acquaintance  with 
the  strength,  tactics  and  possibilities  of  his 
enemy,  and  a  determination  upon  his  own  part 
to  do  or  die. 

What  does  this  suggest  to  the  canvasser? 
He  must  know  his  books  from  cover  to  cover. 
He  must  not  only  read  his  Instructions,  but  he 
must  study  them,  paragraph  by  paragraph, 
and  sentence  by  sentence.  At  first  he  must  go 
over  them  again  and  again,  day  by  day,  and 
later,  week  by  week.  He  must  make  a  busi- 
ness of  this  study.  If  he  "eats  it,  drinks  it 
and  sleeps  it"  at  first,  so  much  the  better. 
So  much  the  more  certain  will  be  his  suc- 
cess. Occasionally  a  man  without  experience, 
without  acquaintance  with  the  books,  without 
having  made  a  thorough  study  of  the  Instruc- 
tions, rushes  in  and  sells  fifteen  or  twenty 
books  the  first  day.  But  this  is  altogether  ex- 


PREPARATION  OF  THE  MIND.  33 

ceptional.  What  is  it  that  gives  him  such 
success  1  Why,  his  enthusiasm  I  But  if  he  had 
had  acquaintance  with  his  books,  and  had  gone 
to  work  with  intelligence  in  addition  to  his 
enthusiasm,  he  could  have  secured  not  only 
more  satisfactory  but  even  larger  results.  Soon 
the  man  discovers  his  lack,  and  unless  he  be- 
takes himself  to  study,  he  will  end  in  failure 
and  quit  the  business  inside  of  two  weeks. 

The  first  step  essential  to  success  is  pre- 
paration. The  second  is  preparation.  The 
third  is  PREPARATION.  The  next  step  is  con- 
viction and  enthusiasm  begotten  of  confidence 
in  the  merits  of  the  books  and  the  importance 
of  their  widest  possible  circulation.  When  a 
canvasser  is  so  full  of  his  subject  that  he 
thinks  of  it  by  day  and  dreams  of  it  at  night, 
has  made  the  preparation  we  suggest,  goes 
forth  in  the  spirit  we  have  indicated,  his  re- 
sults will  entitle  him  to  be  regarded  as  a  con- 
quering hero. 

420.  Lessons  on  Success  in  Life. — In  our 
personal  correspondence  with  the  canvassers 
we  always  make  every  letter  a  lesson  on  suc- 
cess in  life.  To  the  canvasser,  when  he  first 
reads  the  letter,  it  may  seem  as  though  it  were 
only  upon  success  in  canvassing;  but  the  great 
principles  which  underlie  success  in  every  de- 
partment of  life  will  troop  through  every  let- 
ter, march  through  every  paragraph  and 
breathe  in  every  sentence.  We  intend  also  to 
inaugurate  such  methods  as  will  enable  each 
canvasser  so  long  as  he  continues  in  our  em- 


34  PREPARATION  OF  THE  MIND. 

ploy  to  pursue  a  course  of  study  upon  success 
in  life,  and  to  enable  him  to  discover  why 
some  people  succeed  where  others  fail  and  why 
some  fail  where  success  would  have  been  as 
easy  as  failure  itself. 


PHYSICAL  PREPARATION.  35 

CHAPTER  IV. 
PHYSICAL  PREPARATION. 

421.  Physical    Culture.— The   physical,   in- 
tellectual   and    spiritual    are    closely   related. 
The  great  educational  institutions  have  come 
to  recognize  this  relation.    Since  the  introduc- 
tion  of  physical  culture   and   a  physical  de- 
partment, the  standard  of  scholarship  in  every 
other  department  has  been  raised.     It  is  im- 
possible to  make  a  scholar  of  a  dyspeptic.    It 
is  impossible  even  to  make  the  best  kind  of  a 
man  of  a  dyspeptic.     Young  Men's  Christian 
Associations  recognize  this  fact,  and  the  gym- 
nasium is  regarded  as  essential  in  the  work 
of  that  organization  as  the  Bible  Class  itself. 
Every  pastor  meets  people  in  his  parish  whose 
lack  of  piety  is  due  to  their  need  of  pills — 
and  they  would  not  even  need  pills  if  they 
simply  knew  how  to  take  care  of  their  bodies. 
What  would  be  the  condition  of  a  house  that 
was  occupied  for  years  and  was  never  swept, 
painted,  repaired  or  cared  for  in  any  way? 
But  nature  will  sweep,  paint  and  repair  these 
bodies  of  ours,  if  we  simply  give  some  reason- 
able thought  to  our  health. 

422.  How  Much  Time. — Give  ten  minutes 
each  morning  to   a  thoughtful  care  of  your 
own  body.     Then  forget  yourself  and  live  for 


36  PHYSICAL  PREPARATION. 

others  all  the  rest  of  the  day.  Be  such  a  per- 
son in  body,  soul  and  spirit  that  you  will  ra- 
diate health  every  hour  of  the  day.  Health  is 
as  contagious  as  disease,  and  hopefulness  and 
good  cheer  are  catching.  Ten  minutes  spent 
in  proper  physical  culture  in  the  morning  im- 
mediately after  rising  and  before  taking  the 
morning  bath  will  give  health  to  the  body, 
clearness  to  the  mind  and  intensity  to  the  life. 
The  canvasser  who  devotes  himself  conscien- 
tiously to  ten  minutes  of  physical  culture  each 
morning  will  sell  25  per  cent,  more  books  dur- 
ing each  day  than  he  could  possibly  sell  with- 
out that  amount  of  physical  culture.  Ho 
cannot  be  a  master  mind,  a  galvanic  battery, 
a  dominant  influence  without  it.  It  fortifies 
him  against  catching  cold,  keeps  him  hopeful, 
cheery  and  bright,  saves  from  discourage- 
ment, banishes  the  blues  before  he  gets  them 
and  helps  to  make  failure  impossible. 

423.  Results. — So  essential  do  we  regard 
this  matter  of  daily  attention  to  the  phy 
and  the  devoting  of  ten  minutes  each  morning 
to  physical  culture  that  we  not  only  make  it 
a  part  of  our  training,  but  insist  upon  it  con- 
stantly as  essential  to  the  largest  possible 
success.  With  this  physical  training  as  a  ba- 
sis, and  with  the  other  benefits  of  canvassing, 
we  have  seen  young  men  almost  transformed 
in  thirty  days.  A  photograph  taken  "before 
and  after"  would  scarcely  be  recognized  by 
their  friends.  Young  men  who  have  not  previ- 
ously given  attention  to  the  care  and  devel- 


PHYSICAL  PREPARATION.  37 

opment  of  the  physical,  gain  in  weight,  become 
more  graceful  in  carriage,  more  hopeful  and 
cheerful  in  countenance  and  more  dominant 
and  influential  in  their  personality. 

424.  Food* — The  question  of  food  is  also 
essential.     Select  a  boarding  place  where  a 
good  supply  qf  plain,  wholesome  food  is  as- 
sured.    In  some  dining  rooms  empty  display 
and  costly  dishes  are  made  a  substitute  for 
good  food  and  plenty  of  it.    Do  not  over-eat, 
but  eat  enough. 

425.  Boarding     Place. — The     question     of 
your  boarding  place  is  essential.    It  need  not, 
it  should  not  be  expensive.     It  should  yet  be 
good  and  comfortable,  centrally  located,  con- 
ducted by  people  who  are  above  suspicion  and 
who  will   thereby  lend  something  to  the  in- 
fluence and  success  of  your  canvass. 

426.  Your    Room. — Your   room   should   be 
bright   and   cheery.     Properly   heated  in  the 
winter   and    sufficiently   cool  in   the   summer, 
with  plenty  of  ventilation  both  summer1  and 
winter.     Room  alone  if  you  can  conveniently 
do  so.    It  will  afford  you  better  facilities  for 
study,  rest  and  sleep. 

427.  Your  Evenings.— Do  not  spend  your 
evenings  in   frivolities,  gaieties   and  excesses 
which  unfit  you  for  rest  during  the  night  or 
for  the  work  of  the  next  day.     The  night  is 
often  made  the  undoing  of  the  day  in  many 


38  PHYSICAL  PREPARATION. 

ways.  You  need  your  evenings  for  meeting 
special  appointments  and  the  doing  of  class 
canvassing.  You  need  the  evenings  also  for  a 
regular  study  of  this  Book  of  Instruction, 
and  the  night,  not  part  of  it,  but  all  of  it, 
after  a  reasonable  and  early  hour  of  retiring. 
for  sleep  and  undisturbed  rest. 

428.  Weariness,  Discouragement  and  De- 
spondency.— Discouragement  and  despondency 
are  often  the  result  of  weariness.  In  order  to 
guard  oneself  against  weariness  and  physical 
exhaustion  the  question  of  sleep  and  rest  is 
important.  First  of  all,  however,  there 
better  precautionary  measure  than  physical 
culture.  Systematic,  thorough  work,  with 
persistent,  earnest  effort,  is  sure  to 
weariness.  Where  a  man  is  enthusiastic  and 
zealous  he  is  likely  to  be  quite  unconscious  of 
the  results  of  exhausting  effort.  In  deed,  a 
man  with  an  absorbing  enthusiasm  can  do  ten 
times  as  much  work  as  without  it,  a:xl  u>u- 
ally  without  any  larger  drafts  upon  his  phy- 
sical resources. 

Bring  yourself  daily  by  a  night  of  refresh- 
ing sleep  and  thorough,  conscientious  physical 
culture  to  that  high  standard  of  bodily  health 
and  physical  force  that  you  can  go  forth  to 
eight  or  ten  hours  of  continuous  and  enthusi- 
astic effort  and  hard  work,  all  unconscious  of 
physical  weariness.  But  when  you  are  really 
weary,  and  physically  and  mentally  exhausted, 
you  ought  to  recognize  that  fact.  At  such  a 
time,  an  hour  devoted  in  or  upon  your  bed, 


PHYSICAL  PREPARATION.  39 

or  some  other  equally  good  place  to  relax 
every  muscle  and  energy  and  secure  a  thor- 
ough rest  and  a  good  sleep,  is  the  best  use  that 
could  possibly  be  made  of  that  amount  of 
time.  The  greatest  care  should,  however,  al- 
ways be  exercised  so  as  not  to  mistake  laziness 
for  weariness.  As  soon  as  you  have  had  the 
requisite  rest  be  up  and  at  it  again  with  energy 
and  vigor. 

Undue  weariness  is  productive  of  nervous- 
ness which  is  liable  to  make  the  canvasser  ir- 
ritable and  fussy,  and  his  own  condition  is 
quite  sure  to  become  a  source  of  irritation  to 
his  customer,  and  thus  it  totally  unfits  him 
for  successful  work.  The  canvasser  should 
always  be  calm,  self-possessed  and  confident. 
He  should  never  seem  in  a  hurry,  or  appear 
over-anxious.  He  should  seek  brevity,  should 
never  be  over-insistent,  but  always  recogniz- 
ing the  fact  that  all  persons  have  something 
of  the  mule  in  their  natures,  and  that  when 
you  insist  upon  their  doing  a  certain  thing, 
that  is  the  very  thing  they  will  insist  upon 
not  doing.  The  wise  canvasser  knows  how  to 
seem  not  to  drive  nor  to  force,  but  to  lead, 
convince  and  persuade. 

You  cannot  expect  every  day  to  be  a  good 
day.  Some  days  will  be  better  than  others. 
There  are  dull  days  in  every  line  of  business. 
When  such  times  come  do  not  be  discouraged. 
What  would  you  think  of  the  merchant  who 
gave  up  his  business  because  of  a  few  weeks 
or  a  few  months  of  business  depression? 
What  would  you  think  of  a  farmer  who  would 


40  PHYSICAL  PREPARATION. 

sacrifice  his  farm  because  his  crops  had  failed 
for  one  or  two  years,  even  if  those  years  suc- 
ceeded each  other?  Such  a  man  would  be 
weak,  and  so  would  you  if  you  allowed  dis- 
couragement to  turn  you  from  your  great  pur- 
pose. Do  your  very  best  to  secure  an  order  at 
every  call,  and  call  on  every  one.  Do  thorough 
work,  work  early  and  late,  putting  purpose 
and  energy  into  every  canvass  and  success  is 
assured. 

As  I  have  already  said,  keep  in  your  best 
physical  condition  and  always  remember  the 
6  ( blues "  have  killed  more  men  than  were  ever 
slain  by  typhoid  and  yellow  fever  combined. 
When  Elisha  got  the  blues  and  thought  that 
the  entire  world  had  gone  wrong  and  desired 
to  die,  there  was  a  good  cause  for  it.  The  day 
before  he  had  been  on  Mt.  Carmel  amid  the 
most  trying  scenes,  and  in  the  evening,  when 
nature  was  already  exhausted,  he  ran  twelve 
miles  before  the  chariot  of  Ahab  to  the  gates 
of  Jezreel.  No  wonder  he  was  exhausted 
the  next  day  and  the  world  looked  blue !  What 
did  God  do?  He  gave  him  a  good  long  sleep 
under  the  juniper  tree,  and  when  he  awoke 
He  fed  him  with  nourishing  food.  The  blues 
may  come  from  various  causes,  but  when  they 
do  come  from  physical  exhaustion,  no  better 
remedy  was  ever  prescribed.  Rest  when  and 
as  often  as  you  need  to,  but  never  loaf  or  idle 
away  your  time.  A  needed  rest  will  cure  the 
blues,  but  loafing  will  bring  them  on  and  make 
them  fatal. 


THE  FIELD.  41 

CHAPTER  V. 
THE  FIELD. 

429.  Choice  of  Field.— There  is  a  differ- 
ence in  different  fields.  The  difference,  how- 
ever, is  usually  slight.  When  a  man  suc- 
ceeds in  one  field  and  another  man  fails  in  an- 
other field,  the  man  who  fails  is  apt  to  think 
that  the  cause  of  his  failure  was  due  to  the 
field.  If  these  two  men  had  changed  fields  be- 
fore either  began  work,  it  is  more  than  likely 
that  the  man  who  failed  and  assigned  his  fail- 
ure to  the  character  of  the  field  would  have 
failed  in  the  field  in  which  the  other  man  suc- 
ceeded. The  difference  in  the  choice  of  fields 
is  always  slight.  The  people  in  every  field  are 
human  and  wherever  there  are  human  beings 
there  are  persons  to  whom  these  books  are  per- 
fectly suited — persons  to  whom  the  informa- 
tion contained  in  these  books  is  absolutely  es- 
sential. What  you  need  is  not  to  waste  time 
in  hunting  new  or  better  fields,  but  to  thor- 
oughly and  conscientiously  work  the  field  you 
already  have.  Do  not  flit  like  the  frivolous 
butterfly  to  flowers  distant  and  remote,  but 
like  the  busy  bee  wasting  no  precious  time  in 
flight,  but  industriously  gathering  large  stores 
of  honey  from  flowers  that  are  passed  unno- 
ticed by  the  honeyless  butterfly. 


42  THE  FIELD. 

430.  Preparing  to  Enter  the  Field. — "Be- 
fore the  time  arrives  for  you  to  start  for  your 
field,  go  to  two  or  three  particular  friends  of 
good  standing,  such  as  your  minister,  teacher, 
banker,  and  let  them  give  you  letters  of  com- 
mendation, which  are  always  good  things  to 
have  in  your  pocket  when  traveling.  Provide 
yourself  with  a  blank  book  of  convenient  size 
for  your  pocket,  in  which  to  write  down  the 
names  of  all  the  people  you  wish  to  see  in  your 
canvass.  Open  this  book  by  writing  your  own 
name  and  address  in  ink  or  indelible  pencil, 
your  home  address  also,  with  this  inscription, 
'  Should  this  book  become  lost  or  mislaid,  will 
the  finder  please  notify  me  at  the  above  ad- 
dress.' Every  person  you  canvass  should  be 
able  to  give  you  the  names  of  friends  and 
neighbors  whom  you  should  call  upon.  These 
names  should  then  be  written  down  in  your 
blank  book  immediately  under  the  name  of  the 
person  you  are  then  canvassing.  Be  sure  in 
every  instance  to  write  the  name  plainly,  so 
that  you  can  read  it  readily  and  pronounce  it 
correctly.  "— (K.) 

As  far  as  possible  take  with  you  more  than 
sufficient  money  simply  to  pay  your  car  fare 
to  your  appointed  field.  Take  money  enough 
to  pay  your  board  for  a  couple  of  weeks  or 
longer,  and  for  such  general  expenses  as  are 
absolutely  essential.  Arrange  with  parents  or 
friends  who  are  interested  in  you  personally, 
who  know  you  to  be  honest  and  worthy  of 
their  confidence  and  assistance,  to  provide 
you  with  money  so  that  you  can  send  cash 


THE  FIELD.  43 

when  ordering  your  first  instalment  of  books. 
If  you  can  not  arrange  for  the  loan  of  the 
money,  then  you  should  have  som.3  personal 
acquaintance,  who  is  financially  responsible, 
sign  your  Surety  Blank  and  send  it  forward 
to  us  so  that  it  can  be  investigated,  placed 
upon  file  and  thus  avoid  delays  which  must 
otherwise  occur  when  you  send  in  your  order. 

431.  Entering  the  Field.— "  When  the  time 
arrives  for  you  to  begin  work,  do  not  hesitate 
a  minute,  but  move  as  promptly  at  command 
of  your  own  will  as  a  soldier  would  if  ordered 
by  the  general  in  command. " — (K)  When 
arriving  upon  the  territory  do  not  lose  a  mo- 
ment. Get  to  work  at  once.  First  settle  the 
question  of  a  boarding  place  in  harmony  with 
paragraphs  425,  426  and  the  instructions  in  the 
"Supplement."  As  soon  as  that  question  is 
settled  enter  immediately  upon  your  work. 
The  man  who  instead  of  going  immediately 
to  work  looks  around  for  a  few  hours  or 
a  day  or  two  to  ' '  see  how  the  land  lies ' '  is  the 
man  who  usually  never  goes  to  work  at  all. 
There  is  not  one  location  in  a  thousand  where 
a  canvasser  could  go  out  to  reconnoitre  where 
pretty  much  every  person  he  meets  would  not 
say  to  him,  "This  is  not  a  reading  com- 
munity." "This  is  no  town  in  which  to  sell 
books."  "This  town  has  been  over-run  with 
canvassers,  a  dozen  have  failed  here  within  the 
last  month."  Statements  such  as  these  are 
sure  to  confront  a  canvasser  in  any  and  every 
territory  where  he  goes  out  to  inquire  of  oth- 


44  THE  FIELD. 

ers.  These  people  may  be  courteous,  they 
may  be  well-meaning  and  they  are  generally 
sincere,  but  they  are  entirely  mistaken,  not- 
withstanding. You  can  find  people  of  this  kind 
without  hunting  them,  and  if  you  do  hunt  them 
you  will  find  plenty  of  them  in  any  and  every 
territory.  When  you  enter  your  territory 
therefore  do  not  waste  one  moment,  but  go  im- 
mediately to  work,  and  listen  to  no  word  of 
discouragement. 

432.  Pastors'  Commendations. — If  the  ter- 
ritory to  be  canvassed  is  a  small  town  or  vil- 
lage, then  immediately  after  securing  a  board- 
ing place  visit  the  pastor  or  pastors,  the  lead- 
ing physicians,  principal  of  the  schools  and 
secure  their  endorsement  to  a  general  letter 
of  commendation.  If  it  is  a  town  of  consider- 
able size  or  a  city,  then  call  upon  each  of  the 
pastors  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  and  explain  to  them  that 
you  are  about  to  introduce  a  Purity  Crusade  in 
the  town  and  want  their  interest  and  co-opera- 
tion. They  will  be  likely  to  signify  their  readi- 
ness and  ask  you  what  you  would  like  them  to 
do.  You  can  then  secure  their  endorsement, 
together  with  that  of  all  the  others  to  the 
following  or  somewhat  similar  brief  commen- 
dations : 

"The  Purity  books  in  the  Self  and  Sex 
Series  have  commended  themselves  to  the  emi- 
nent and  good  in  this  and  other  lands  and  be- 
cause of  their  exceptional  character  we  heart- 
ily commend  them  for  a  permanent  place  in 
everv  home." 


TEE  FIELD.  45 

This  commendation  is  brief  and  to  the  point, 
and  it  has  been  our  experience  that  where  pas- 
tors are  not  already  acquainted  with  the  books, 
but  are  shown  the  portraits  and  commenda- 
tions in  the  front  of  the  books  of  those  who 
commend  them,  or  if  a  copy  or  two  of  the 
books  themselves  can  be  left  for  their  exami- 
nation they  will  readily  give  their  influence 
by  subscribing  their  names  to  this  commen- 
dation. Printed  copies  of  this  commendation 
on  strong,  bond  paper  can  be  secured  from  the 
publishers  upon  request.  This  method  is  better 
than  to  request  the  pastor  or  others  to  read  the 
book  or  books  and  then  write  a  personal  com- 
mendation. Such  a  request  requires  too  much 
time  and  effort,  and  is  much  more  likely  to  be 
refused.  In  addition  it  is  almost  impossible 
for  a  canvasser  to  handle  several  letters  of 
commendation  in  such  a  way  as  to  be  ef- 
fective and  without  great  loss  of  time  both  to 
himself  and  the  persons  being  canvassed. 

433.  Pulpit  Announcement. — If  the  can- 
vasser has  properly  interested  the  pastor  and 
impressed  him  with  the  importance  of  the 
work,  he  will  feel  that  the  circulation  of  these 
books  would  be  a  blessing  to  his  people  and  to 
the  entire  community.  He  will  also  recognize 
the  canvasser  as  a  co-laborer  with  himself  in  a 
most  important  work,  and  be  willing  to  make 
a  pulpit  announcement,  and  thus  prepare  his 
congregation  to  accord  a  kindly  reception  and 
an  attentive  hearing  to  the  canvasser  when  he 
calls. 


46  THE  FIELD. 

The  following  pulpit  announcement  or  one 
somewhat  similarly  brief  and  to  the  point  has 
been  found  to  be  effective: 

I  desire  to  announce  that  there  is  a  young 
man  (or  men)  in  our  community,  engaged 
in  presenting  a  set  of  excellent  books  on 
personal  and  social  purity.  These  books 
have  been  endorsed  by  many  of  the  most 
eminent  and  good  in  this  and  other  lands. 
This  young  man  (or  men)  is  engaged  in  a 
most  important  work.  These  books  will  pro- 
mote the  purity  of  the  home,  safeguard 
the  boys  and  girls  and  give  an  uplift  to  the 
entire  community.  They  deserve  a  perma- 
nent place  in  every  home.  Open  your  door 
and  give  this  young  man  a  cordial  welcome 
and  an  attentive-  hearing.  • 

Copies  of  these  or  some  equally  good  notice 
.  can  be  secured  from  the  publishers. 

Always  attend  all  the  public  church 
vices,  both  for  your  own  good  and  to  get  ac- 
quainted with  people  whom  you  should  know, 
and  because  your  reputation  and  character  in 
that  community  will  depend  upon  the  nature 
of  your  associations. 

You  should  assure  yourself  that  the  pastor 
is  really  acquainted  with  the  books  before  re- 
questing him  to  sign  the  commendation  sheet 
or  suggesting  that  he  give  a  notice  of  the  work 
from  the  pulpit. 

434.  Impressing  the  Preacher. — The  can- 
vasser will  here  realize  the  importance  of  a 
thorough  mastery  of  the  subject  with  which 

*(To  the  Pastor). — This  "Announcement"  is  only 
suggestive.  Be  free  to  make  any  changes. 


THE  FIELD.  47 

he  is  dealing.  If  the  pastor  is  not  as  well 
acquainted  with  the  books  as  he  should  be,  it 
\\ill  be  necessary  to  give  him  a  right  impres- 
sion, both  of  the  books,  and  general  nature  of 
the  work  and  the  necessity  for  it.  His  atti- 
tude toward  both  you  and  the  work  will  be 
largely  influenced  by  your  ability  to  rightly 
impress  him  at  this  time.  Give  him  a  clear, 
convincing  argument,  it  will  impress  him  with 
the  importance  of  your  work  and  the  need 
that  it  should  be  carried  on  in  the  community, 
and  it  will  impress  him  with  your  ability  as  a 
purity  worker.  He  will,  then,  in  the  majority 
of  instances  be  ready  to  stand  back  of  you  and 
co-operate  with  you  in  every  way  possible.  He 
will  be  much  more  likely  to  be  ready  to  make 
the  announcement  of  the  work  from  the  pulpit 
than  if  he  were  to  question  in  any  way  your 
ability  to  properly  carry  on  the  work.  It  is 
easy  to  see,  then,  the  importance  of  the  can- 
vasser's being  able  to  present  his  subject  so 
clearly  and  forcibly  to  the  pastors  in  his  visit 
to  them,  that  he  will  both  be  able  to  increase 
their  own  conception  of  the  importance  of  the 
work  and  impress  them  with  his  own  ability  as 
a  representative  of  the  purity  movement, 

435.  Class  Canvassing.  —  Where  pastors 
hesitate  about  signing  the  commendation,  it 
might  be  well  not  to  ask  them  to  make  the  pul- 
pit announcement  upon  the  occasion  of  the 
first  interview,  but  to  call  upon  them  the  next 
day,  or  just  prior  to  the  Sunday  when  the  an- 
nouncements are  to  be  made  in  the  different 
pulpits.  After  the  announcement  has  been 


48  THE  FIELD. 

made  pastors  can  almost  always  be  relied  upon 
to  respond  favorably  to  the  request  for  the 
names  of  the  Superintendent  and  teachers  of 
the  Sunday-school.  Some  times  it  is  much 
better  not  to  ask  the  pastor,  but  to  learn  the 
name  of  the  Superintendent  from  others  and 
then  let  the  superintendent  furnish  the  names 
and  addresses  of  all  the  teachers.  These  teach- 
ers should  be  visited  in  a  thorough  class  can- 
vass. When  visiting  the  teachers  they  should 
be  made  to  feel  that  they  are  leaders  of  the 
public  thought,  that  the  members  of  their 
class  look  up  to  them  as  intelligent  guides, 
and  that  whether  they  see  fit  to  speak  to  their 
pupils  upon  this  subject  or  not,  they  them- 
selves ought  to  be  well  informed  and  thor- 
oughly acquainted  with  the  subject.  It  would 
be  well  also  to  suggest  that  after  seeing 
how  purely,  impressively  and  unobjection- 
ably  these  subjects  are  presented  in  these 
books  they  will  better  be  able  to  judge  of  what 
may  be  their  duty  in  their  relation  to  their 
scholars. 

The  canvassers  will  be  greatly  assisted  in 
"  Class  Canvassing "  by  a  careful  study  of  the 
help  furnished  in  the  latter  pages  of  this  vol- 
ume. 

The  teachers  of  the  Young  Men's  and  Young 
Women 's  Bible  Classes  should  be  interested  in 
such  a  way  as  to  see  the  importance  of  having 
a  full  set  of  books  for  themselves,  and  to  fur- 
nish the  names  and  addresses  of  all  the  mem- 
bers of  their  classes,  and  also  to  read  a  notice 
to  their  classes  somewhat  like  the  following: 


THE  FIELD.  49 

"  I  desire  to  announce  that  there  is  a  young  man  (or 
men)  in  our  community  presenting  a  set  of  books  on 
the  subject  of  personal  and  social  purity.  These  books 
treat  the  private  life  of  the  individual  in  a  thoroughly 
pure  and  comprehensive  manner,  and  should  be  in  every 
home.  They  are  written  by  widely  known  Christian 
authors,  and  can  be  depended  upon  as  the  most  reli- 
able and  authentic  treatment  of  these  subjects  that  is 
published. 

"Mr.  will  call  on  you  in  a  few  days  to  show 

them  to  you,  and  I  hope  you  will  all  improve  this  op- 
portunity of  getting  them." 

With  this  list  of  names  in  hand  the  can- 
vasser has  splendid  material  for  class  can- 
vassing. These  persons  constitute  just  the 
class  to  be  seen  in  the  evenings.  The  regular 
house  to  house  canvass  should  be  prosecuted 
during  the  day,  and  these  Sunday-school  teach- 
ers and  Bible  Class  men  and  women  can  be 
canvassed  separately  at  appointed  times  or  in 
the  evenings,  and  thus  greatly  augment  the 
daily  sales. 

Remember,  however,  that  your  success  rests 
primarily  and  always  on  a  regular,  systematic 
house  to  house  canvass,  but  you  can  also  ar- 
range these  names  both  by  streets  and  numeri- 
cally so  that  you  can,  without  repeating  your 
steps,  canvass  these  persons  in  the  evenings, 
When  making  a  call,  and  after  canvassing  the 
person  whom  you  went  most  of  all  to  see, 
canvass  others  in  the  house,  so  that  you  need 
not  repeat  the  call  when  engaged  at  your 
regular  house  to  house  canvass. 

By  some  such  method  as  this,  you  may,  after 
having  fully  completed  your  house  to  house 
canvass  of  the  entire  city,  take  up  each  of 
the  Churches,  the  members  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  member  of  the 


50  TEE  FIELD. 

Women 's  Christian  Temperance  Union,  Local 
Temperance  Organizations,  Mother's  Clubs, 
teachers,  physicians,  etc.  A  canvasser  should, 
however,  always  exercise  caution  so  as  not  to 
waste  time  by  going  over  territory  previously 
canvassed  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  persons 
whose  names  he  may  have  forgotten  but  whom 
he  may  have  previously  canvassed. 

436.  Begin     with     Prominent     Names.— 
Where  persons  who  are  canvassed  have   any 
doubts  with  regard   to   the  character  of   the 
books,  or  hesitate  because  of  any  other  con- 
sideration, they  are  often  influenced  to  a  fa- 
vorable decision  by  a  list  of  names  of  influen- 
tial subscribers.     It  is  therefore  important  to 
begin  your  subscription  list  with  the  names 
of   prominent    and   influential    persons.      The 
names  of  ministers,  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Board  of  Education,  the  President  of  the  High 
School,    the    Secretary   of   the   Young   Men's 
Christian    Association,     physicians,     Sunday- 
school   Superintendents,   officers   of   churches, 
leading   politicians    and   the   names   of   other 
prominent  persons  are  of  great  value.    Lose  no 
time,  however,  but  canvass  persons  whom  you 
meet  while   laying  the  foundations  for  your 
work,  and  if  necessary  place  their  names  upon 
a  separate  list,  so  that  your  regular  subscrip- 
tion list  may  be  headed  by  influential  names. 

437.  Persuading    the    Leaders.— "  As,    in 
canvassing  these  leaders,  you  have  as  yet  ac- 


THE  FIELD.  51 

cumulated  but  little  influence  to  bring  to  bear 
on  them,  your  aim  should  be  to  please,  by  the 
compliment  of  showing  how  important  and  in- 
fluential you  deem  their  approbation.  If  one 
of  these  leaders  declares  he  is  called  upon  so 
often  that  he  prefers  to  decline,  answer  that 
his  position  and  influence  make  him  a  leader  of 
others.  Assure  him  it  is  for  this  reason  he  is 
called  upon  so  often;  that  if  he  doesn't  want 
to  be  solicited  so  much,  he  should  not  allow 
himself  to  be  among  the  most  influential  in  the 
community.  Every  one  likes  to  be  told  that  he 
is  a  person  of  influence,  rnd  if  you  make  this 
suggestion  in  such  a  manner  as  to  show  that 
you  are  sincere,  it  will  have  its  effect.  An  hon- 
est man  hates  flattery,  but  th?  best  of  us  like 
sincere  praise.  Many  experienced  agents  who 
understand  this  make  it  a  rule  to  tell  every 
person  they  canvass  that  they  want  his  name 
for  his  influence',  and  there  is  no  falsehood  in 
this,  for  the  humblest  person  on  earth  has 
some  influence  over  some  other  person. "  Even 
a  wooden  man  has  influence,  otherwise  the 
wooden  Indian  that  stands  at  the  entrance  to 
the  tobacco  store  would  not  be  placed  there. 

438.  Preparation  and  Use  of  Testimonials 
and  List  of  Subscribers.— "  Few  solicitors 
know  how  to  use  their  local  testimonials  and 
list  of  subscribers  to  the  best  advantage.  A 
very  convenient  way  to  arrange  and  carry 
your  list  is  to  procure  from  any  merchant  a 
piece  of  manila  wrapping  paper  a  little  wider 
and  longer  than  the  ordinary  business  letter- 


52  THE  FIELD. 

head.  Fold  this  over  about  an  inch  at  the  top, 
inserting  through  the  fold  thus  made  and  near 
each  edge  of  the  sheet,  an  ordinary  paper  fas- 
tener. Before  inserting  the  fasteners  you 
should  slip  the  end  of  a  sheet  of  blank  paper 
nearly  as  large  as  the  manila  sheet  into  the 
fold  at  the  top  so  that  the  fasteners  when  in- 
serted will  hold  it  in  place  like  the  leaf  of  a 
book.  On  this  blank  sheet  you  should  copy 
the  name  of  each  subscriber  as  secured  until 
the  sheet  is  full;  then  paste  another  sheet  to 
the  bottom  and  fold.  Continue  to  do  this  as 
your  list  grows  so  that  when  you  draw  out 
your  subscription  list,  your  customer  will  be 
confronted  with  the  whole  array  of  the  n 
of  neighbors  and  friends  who  have  subscribed. 
Local  testimonials,  which  you  secure,  will  usu- 
ally be  written  on  shorter  sheets  or  if  not  can 
be  trimmed  down  so  that  they  will  only  par- 
tially cover  your  list.  These  testimonials 
should  be  inserted  and  fastened  the  same  as 
the  sheets  on  which  your  subscribers'  names 
are  written.  You  can  thus  refer  immediately 
to  any  particular  testimonial  which  you  think 
will  have  most  weight  with  the  person  you  are 
canvassing.  It  is  sometimes  well  to  introduce 
your  canvass  with  a  good  stirring  testimonial 
from  some  prominent  local  personage,  as  a 
means  of  enlisting  the  confidence  of  your  pros- 
pective customer.  Then  proceed  with  your 
regular  canvass  and  testimonials  given  in  tho 
books  themselves,  reinforcing  and  clinching 
your  canvass  with  more  local  testimonials. 
"If  you  are  especially  successful  in  fre- 


THE  FIELD.  53 

quently  securing  orders  for  several  copies  from 
one  person,  it  is  well  to  make  frequent  refer- 
ence to  your  order  book  as  well,  showing  that 
such  and  such  a  person  had  ordered  a  number 
of  copies.  This  will  frequently  be  helpful  in  get- 
ting the  person  you  are  canvassing  to  increase 
his  order.  At  the  same  time  you  must  learn 
to  be  tactful  in  using  your  subscription  list, 
for  while  it  will  have  more  influence  than  any 
other  single  thing  in  adding  orders  to  your 
list,  you  should  not  hint  that  your  customer 
may  be  influenced  to  buy  because  others  are 
buying.  You  should  rather  refer  to  your  list 
as  evidence  of  the  popularity  of  the  books  and 
refer  to  what  so-and-so  said  to  you  about  be- 
ing 'so  glad  to  have  the  chance  to  get  the 
books  now.'  " — (K.) 

439.  Township  Canvassing. — Where  the  as- 
signed territory  includes  a  township  the  work 
of  preparation  and  the  beginning  of  the  can- 
vass in  the  village  should  be  pursued  as  we 
have  indicated  above.  After  this  "strike  for 
the  country,  reserving  the  town  for  extremely 
bad  weather.  Do  not  travel  more  than  two 
miles  in  one  direction,  but  turn  and  canvass 
back  on  the  other  road.  Be  sure  to  canvass  all 
houses  off  from  the  road.  Inquire  about  the 
people  you  hope  to  canvass ;  learn  their  names 
in  advance.  Canvass  the  one  you  think  most 
likely  to  buy.  If  you  fail  on  that  one,  try  an- 
other member  of  the  family.  Be  sure  to  can- 
vass every  hired  man  and  servant  especially 
in  the  country,  excepting  in  the  South  where 


54  THE  FIELD. 

racial  feeling  exists.  You  will  sell  to  many. 
After  closing  the  first  order  in  the  home,  do 
not  go  away  until  you  have  tried  to  sell  them 
other  books  of  the  series;  it  may  be  to  other 
members  of  the  family.  Careful  attention  at 
this  point  will  easily  double  your  business. 
By  your  actions  and  earnest  conversation  com- 
pel the  people  to  talk  about  you  and  your 
books,  and  talk  favorably.  Make  them  feel 
that  there  is  a  hustler  in  their  midst  and  that 
he  is  engaged  in  a  good  work.  Always  do  bu^i- 
ness  where  you  take  dinner.  Stay  overnight 
by  selling  books  that  you  could  not  otherv 
sell.  In  that  way  you  will  not  only  sell  more 
books  and  be  able  to  show  a  larger  list,  but 
also  save  paying  out  cash  for  expenses.  It 
would  be  well  for  you  to  make  a  drawing  of  the 
territory  you  are  to  canvass,  with  the  location 
of  the  homes  in  the  country  districts,  and  have 
your  records  so  complete  that  in  case  of  sick- 
ness you  could  send  a  stranger  in  to  fill  your 
orders,  thus  preventing  financial  loss." — (K.) 

440.  Advantages  of  Country  Canvassing. — 
Country  canvassing  is  far  more  interesting 
than  city  or  town  canvassing,  the  scenery  is 
constantly  changing,  the  people  are  not  an- 
noyed so  constantly  by  agents  and  solicitors, 
and  will  generally  receive  you  more  heartily. 
For  the  canvasser  with  a  small  capital  it  is 
particularly  advisable.  We  know  one  who 
rarely  paid  out  his  cash  for  expenses.  He 
would  stop  at  a  farmhouse  at  dinner  time  sell 
a  book  and  allow  25  cents  for  dinner.  This 


TEE  FIELD.  55 

still  gave  him  a  profit  of  15  cents.  Just  before 
finishing  for  the  day  he  would  allow  a  farmer 
or  his  wife  fifty  cents  on  a  sale  and  would 
get  his  supper,  breakfast  and  a  night's  lodg- 
ing, which  actually  cost  him  only  ten  cents, 
so  he  was  really  getting  three  meals  a  day 
and  a  good  night 's  sleep,  the  credit  for  having 
sold  books,  which  otherwise  he  would  not  have 
sold,  and  makin&  something  besides.  When 
delivery  time  came  around  he  would  allow  the 
minister  books  for  the  use  of  his  team, 
thus  avoiding  the  livery  expense. 

441.  Canvassing  Colleges  and  Schools.— 
Colleges,  universities  and  schools  of  higher 
education  are  excellent  territory  for  the  sale 
of  these  books.  Many  of  our  canvassers  are 
from  the  student  class,  and  these  often  begin 
their  experimental  work  in  the  institution  in 
which  they  are  studying.  The  success  of  a  can- 
vass in  such  a  field  is  dependent  upon  the  per- 
sonality and  influence  of  the  canvasser,  the 
amount  of  time  he  can  devote  to  the  work,  and 
his  ability  to  impress  his  own  deep  conviction 
upon  his  fellow  students. 

Further  information  upon  the  subject  of 
canvassing  in  schools  and  colleges  will  be 
found  on  page  27  of  Booklet  No.  2,  and  also 
by  consulting  the  alphabetical  index  at  the  end 
of  this  volume. 

Presidents  of  institutions  sometimes  hesi- 
tate to  recommend  the  books,  fearing  lest  the 
parents  of  some  student  might  see  one  of  the 
books,  and  without  knowing  or  examination 


56  THE  FIELD. 

into  the  character  of  the  book  and  its  con- 
tents, disapprove  of  what  the  President  of  the 
institution  had  done.  We  do  not  know  of  a 
President  of  any  institution  who  disapproves 
of  our  books,  but  we  have  known  of  some  who 
hesitate  to  give  their  public  approval,  for  the 
reasons  which  we  have  just  named.  As 
public  or  formal  approval  is  not  essential  to 
the  success  of  the  canvass,  and  is  even  preju- 
dicial in  the  minds  of  a  certain  class  of  stu- 
dents, each  student  canvasser  must  determine 
his  own  course  in  this  matter. 

We  shall  be  very  glad  to  enter  into  cor- 
respondence with  students  everywhere  to  enlist 
their  services  during  vacation  period. 

442.  Cards  of  Introduction. — A  visit in«r 
card  containing  nothing  but  the  name  of  the 
canvasser  is  valuable  in  securing  admission  to 
many  of  the  more  influential  homes.  A  card 
may  be  written,  but  it  is  better  printed.  It 
need  not  be  expensive,  but  should  always  be  of 
a  good  quality.  It  is  better  to  use  no  card  than 
one  prepared  with  a  rubber  stamp,  or  in  some 
other  way  so  that  it  prejudices  the  recipient 
before  ever  personally  meeting  the  canvasser. 

These  cards  are  valuable  in  reference  can- 
vassing. Where  subscribers,  ministers,  Wo- 
men's Christian  Temperance  Union  workers, 
or  others  are  willing  to  refer  you  to  personal 
friends,  or  those  who  need  the  books,  and  will 
write  the  simple  word  "  introducing "  on  the 
upper  left  hand  corner  of  your  visiting  card 
and  then  sign  their  name  below  your  printed 


THE  FIELD.  57 

name,  such  cards  of  introduction  will  prove 
very  valuable.  If  they  also  write  the  name  of 
the  person  to  whom  they  refer  you  ahove  the 
word  "introducing,"  so  much  the  better.  Can- 
vassers should  always  be  careful  not  to  abuse 
the  courtesy  of  such  cards  of  introduction  by 
using  them  with  persons  other  than  those  for 
whom  they  were  originally  intended.  Straight- 
forward, honest  and  honorable  dealing  is  not 
only  the  right  way,  but  the  only  way  to  suc- 
ceed. 

443.  Canvassing  a  Congregation. — In  a 
large  city  the  canvassing  of  separate  congre- 
gations is  attended  with  great  loss  of  time  in 
traveling  long  distances  and  finding  the  resi- 
dences. Where  the  class  canvassing  of  Sun- 
day-school Superintendents  and  teachers  and 
members  of  Adult  Classes  is  pursued  in  the 
evenings,  the  leading  members  of  the  different 
churches  will  be  pretty  thoroughly  reached. 
In  small  villages,  however,  separate  congre- 
gations may  often  be  successfully  canvassed, 
and  to  accomplish  this,  it  is  necessary  to  se- 
cure the  list  of  members  from  the  pastor.  In 
some  congregations  they  have  printed  lists,  but 
where  they  do  not  have,  the  canvasser  should 
not  request  the  pastor  to  write  off  the  list,  as 
this  would  impose  a  large  amount  of  labor 
upon  him.  Simply  secure  permission  to  tran- 
scribe the  list,  but  do  not  request  the  privilege 
of  carrying  the  pastor's  list  away  from  the 
parsonage.  If  his  visiting  list  does  not  give 
the  street  addresses  and  the  pastor  should  be 


58  THE  FIELD. 

busy,  as  most  pastors  are,  some  prominent 
member  of  the  church,  like  the  Sunday-school 
Superintendent,  or  some  other  one  of  the  of- 
ficers or  teachers  might  be  able  and  willing 
to  supply  the  street  addresses.  No  agent 
should  ever  over-tax  or  abuse  ministerial  kind- 
ness, omit  to  show  his  personal  appreciation, 
or  fail  to  make  some  recognition  of  the  pas- 
tor's interest  or  effort  in  the  success  of  the 
canvasser  or  the  sale  of  the  books  among  his 
people,  The  pastor's  aid  is  not  essential  to 
success  but  very  helpful.  Where  each  congre- 
gation is  to  be  canvassed  separately,  a  letter 
of  introduction  and  commendation  from  the 
pastor  would  be  of  great  value. 

444.  Secretaries  of  Young  Men's  Christian 
Associations. — Canvassers  will  always  find  it 
to  their  advantage  to  enlist  the  interest  and 
co-operation    of    the    Secretary    of    the    local 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association.    Through 
the  Secretary  he  may  be  able  to  secure  the  list 
of  the  members  and  successfully  reach  a  very 
large  number  of  young  men  connected  with  the 
Association. 

445.  Keep  Up  Your  Study. — While  prepar- 
ing the  field  make  a  most  careful  and  thorough 
study  of  this  book  of  instructions.     Know  it 
from  beginning  to  end.     Study  the  alphabet- 
ical index.     Make  a  daily  study  of  chapters 
two,  three,  six,  seven,  eight,  nine,  ten,  eleven 
and  fourteen.    Examine  all  the  other  chapters 
each  week  and  be  sure  to  practice  the  ph^siea* 


THE  FIELD.  59 

culture  exercises  recommended  in  chapter  four, 
and  set  forth  in  the  Physical  Culture  supple- 
ment of  this  volume.  Make  yourself  thorough 
master  of  every  paragraph  and  every  principle 
in  this  volume,  and  be  prepared  to  write  out 
answers  to  Review  Questions  sent  out  by  the 
publishers  to  their  canvassers. 


60  BEGINNING  THE  WORK. 

CHAPTER  VI. 
BEGINNING  THE  WORK. 

446.  Beginning  Eight. — As  "a  bad  begin- 
ning makes  a  bad  ending/'  it  is  necessary  that 
the  beginning  should  be  right;  therefore,  first 
of  all,  "be  sure  you  are  right,  then  go  ahead. " 

447.  Personal  Appearance. — In  canvassing 
as  in  all  other  branches  of  business  much  will 
depend   upon   personal   appearance.      Charac- 
ter is  manifested  in  a  man's  dress.     As   \v<» 
have  no  other  means  of  judging,  we  must  judge 
from  external  appearances.    Until  a  man  opens 
his  mouth  and  says  something,  we  can  form  no 
judgment  except  from  his  appearance.    Noth- 
ing else  so  much  affects  a  man's  appearance 
as  his  hat  and  shoes.    The  hat  should  always 
be  chosen  with  care   and   the  shoes  be  kept 
clean    and   well-polished    at    all    times.      The 
clothing  should  never  be  shabby,  always  free 
from  spots  that  soil  and  give  a  slovenly  ap- 
pearance.    Clothing  that  has  been  worn   for 
a  few  weeks  always  loses  its  shapeliness  and 
can  generally  be  made  to  look  as  good  as  new 
by    the    investment    of    a    small    amount    for 
sponging  and  pressing.     Well-combed  hair,  a 
clean    shaven    face,    clean    hands    with    nails 
properly  pared  and  never  dirty,  a  clean  linen 
collar  with  a  necktie  that  is  modest  and  be- 


BEGINNING  THE  WORK.  61 

coming  are  essentials.  Neither  necktie,  nor 
any  other  portion  of  the  apparel,  should  be  so 
conspicuous  as  to  attract  attention.  You 
should  rivet  the  entire  attention  of  the  cus- 
tomer upon  your  books,  and  therefore  careful 
attention  to  your  personal  appearance  is  im- 
portant. You  should  be  careful  to  have  your 
teeth  well-cleaned,  and  great  care  should  be 
exercised  to  guard  against  an  offensive  breath, 
either  from  defective  teeth,  or  a  disordered 
stomach,  which  may  be  caused  by  injudicious 
eating,  nervousness  or  excessive  worry.  The 
smell  of  tobacco  is  especially  offensive  to  some 
persons  and  those  who  do  smoke  should  always 
cleanse  their  mouth  and  wash  their  hands  be- 
fore attempting  to  canvass.  During  the  heat 
of  the  summer  special  care  should  also  be  taken 
to  protect  against  effete  bodily  odors. 

Inattention  to  any  of  these  things  will  mili- 
tate against  the  success  of  the  canvasser. 

Even  the  impression  you  make  at  your 
boarding  house  will  have  its  effect  upon  your 
business.  Be  careful  about  your  table  man- 
ners. Before  leaving  your  room  draw  the 
sheet  and  covering  over  the  foot  of  the  bed, 
both  for  neatness  of  appearance  and  also  for 
airing.  See  that  your  wash-bowl  is  emptied 
and  that  things  are  not  left  in  confusion  and 
absolute  disorder  in  your  room. 

448.  Looking  Inward.— When  entering  upon 
the  work  the  canvasser  should  not  only^have 
regard  to  his  external  appearance,  but  his  in- 
ternal or  mental  preparation  for  the  work. 


62  BEGINNING  THE  WORK. 

There  are  great  fundamental  principles  the 
value  of  which  cannot  be  overestimated.  It 
is  well  to  sit  down  and  ask  oneself  the  ques- 
tion, "  'Who  am  IT  'Shall  I  build  up  a 
reputation  for  myself,  or  continue  to  do  busi- 
ness on  the  good  name  of  my  parents  or  guar- 
dian T  'Shall  I  add  something  to  the  value  of 
their  name,  or  have  it  said  of  me  tluat  I  de- 
tracted from  it?'  'Am  I  willing  to  begin  at 
the  bottom  and  work  up,  or  do  I  wish  to  com- 
mence where  my  parents  left  off,  not  having 
had  any  of  their  experience?'  These  are  very 
important  questions.  Success  or  failure  is 
probably  concealed  in  them.  Here  is  where  the 
poor  boy  so  often  steals  a  march  upon  the  son 
of  the  rich.  The  poor  boy  has  to  begin  where 
he  can,  and  fight  his  own  battles.  He  grows 
every  inch  of  the  way,  while  the  son  of  wealthy 
parents  is  too  often  not  allowed  to  struggle. 
Help  comes  to  him  when  it  is  not  needed.  He 
is  thus  weakened  where  helping  himself  would 
bring  strength.  Thus  hindered,  he  falls  a  vic- 
tim to  the  mis-named  favors  bestowed  upon 
him.  While  the  poor,  struggling  fellow  knows 
every  step  below  him,  he  keeps  his  eye  upon 
the  heights  above  and  presses  onward  and  up- 
ward to  victory  at  last!  The  world  watches 
both.  It  applauds  and  honors  the  one  and 
pities  the  other.  Garfield  acknowledged  these 
facts  when  he  said,  'To  be  poor  is  uncom- 
fortable, as  I  can  testify,  but  nine  times  out 
of  ten,  the  best  thing  that  can  happen  to  any 
young  man  is  to  be  thrown  overboard  and  com- 
pelled to  sink  or  swim  for  himself.  I  never 
knew  one  to  sink  that  was  worth  the  savinir. ' 


BEGINNING  THE  WORK.  63 

"But  poverty  is  no  guarantee  of  success.  It 
will  act  as  a  stimulant  if  you  have  ambition 
and  pluck.  If  you  have  not,  it  will  bind  you 
as  a  slave,  and  clothe  you  in  rags.  Neither 
should  wealth  be  a  hindrance  to  development. 
It  is  only  when  its  possession  is  allowed  to 
deter  you  from  entering  with  all  your  might 
into  some  positive  effort ;  something  which  will 
arouse  that  mighty  impulse  known  only  to 
those  who  feel,  'I  must  do  or  die/  Such  a 
feeling  compels  one  to  master  the  situation, 
never  neglecting  even  the  little  details  which 
may  seem  very  insignificant,  yet  are  vital  to 
success. M — (K.) 

449.  Have  Faith  in  Yourself. — Have  great 
purposes,  expect  much,  be  hopeful,  be  resolute, 
be  determined,  be  persistent,  know  your  books, 
believe  in  them,  believe  in  yourself,  know  your 
canvasses  so  thoroughly  that  you  can  present 
the  books  clearly  and  impressively  without  a 
moment's  notice,  whenever  an  opportunity  is 
afforded.  Few  people  in  all  their  life  engage  in 
an  occupation  that  is  so  useful,  so  important, 
so  far-reaching  in  its  results,  so  telling  on  hu- 
man destiny,  both  for  the  present  and  future 
generations  as  the  work  in  which  you  are  en- 
gaged. The  business  of  the  banker,  the  rail- 
road president — no  one  is  engaged  in  an  oc- 
cupation more  honorable  or  more  important. 
Believe  in  your  business,  believe  in  yourself. 
It  will  make  you  cheerful,  hopeful,  confident, 
courageous,  triumphant. 

"Too  many  people  are  afraid  of  themselves. 


64  BEGINNING  THE  WORK. 

Their  timidity  hedges  them  in  and  defeats 
them  in  the  race  of  life.  No  one  should  shirk 
when  he  has  an  honest  proposition  to  present. 
Boldness  in  a  good  cause  is  a  badge  of  honor 
and  power.  Certain  things  will  contribute  to 
this  element  in  your  character,  while  other 
things  will  detract  from  it.  Honesty  of  pur- 
pose, a  good  cause,  thorough  preparation,  re- 
spectable appearance,  and  right  living  will  give 
all  the  courage  needed  if  you  persevere.  On  the 
other  hand,  an  evil  purpose,  a  bad  cause,  lack 
of  preparation,  unsightly  appearance,  and  a 
wrong  life  will  rob  you  of  what  courage  you 
have  and  defeat  you  in  the  end.  You  cannot 
succeed  unless  you  maintain  your  own  self- 
respect.  You  must  eat,  sleep,  walk,  talk  and 
live  with  yourself.  You  not  only  need  courage 
to  influence  others  in  the  right  way,  but  to 
protect  yourself  from  evil  companions  and 
influences  which  may  surround  you." — (K.) 

450.  "Be  an  Optimist,  not  a  Pessimist. — 
The  person  you  are  canvassing  for  the  time 
being  becomes  like  you.  If  you  have  the  blues, 
are  discouraged  and  look  upon  the  dark  side, 
you  will  not  secure  many  orders.  If  you  are 
bright,  cheerful,  wide-awake,  full  of  hope  and 
sunshine,  you  can  drive  the  clouds  away,  bring 
good  cheer  even  to  the  despairing,  and  secure 
their  orders.  The  optimist  is  master  of  his 
moods  and  can  impart  them  to  others.  He 
can  use  a  pleasant  smile  like  a  flag  of  truce, 
to  secure  a  conference  with  an  enemy.  The 
pessimist  is  a  victim  of  his  own  moods.  His 


BEGINNING  THE  WORK.  65 

influence  parches  like  the  hot  winds  of  the 
western  plain,  or  stops  the  life  current  like  a 
winter 's  blast.  Some  one  has  said  that  the 
pessimist  will  drink  cream  and  call  it  skim 
milk,  while  the  optimist  can  drink  skim  milk 
and  enjoy  it  as  cream.  Be  the  same  helpful, 
expectant,  earnest,  cheerful  solicitor  every  day 
and  every  hour  of  the  day.  If  you  fail  to 
close  an  order  or  several  orders  in  succession, 
do  not  approach  the  next  person  in  a  doubt- 
ing, half-hearted,  disappointed  way,  but  go 
with  full  assurance  of  success,  manifesting 
the  same  spirit  as  would  be  natural  to  you 
had  you  taken  orders  from  the  last  twenty  peo- 
ple canvassed.  'Nothing  succeeds  like  suc- 
cess. '  Catch  the  spirit  of  success,  stay  with  it 
and  you  will  do  business." — (K.) 

451.  "Speak  the  Truth  at  all  Times.— We 
do  not  want  any  agent  who  has  to  lie  to  get 
business,  nor  do  we  want  to  sell  any  article 
that  requires  lying  to  sell  it;  neither  do  we 
want  any  business  that  you  have  to  lie  to  get. 
Agents  often  make  a  mistake  in  failing  to 
maintain  their  integrity.  You  cannot  have  and 
retain  power  unless  you  maintain  self-respect. 
Any  apparent  temporary  gain  by  sacrificing 
truth  ends  in  final  defeat.  A  reputation  for 
truth  and  veracity  is  your  best  capital;  it  will 
find  a  listening  ear  for  you  wherever  you  go, 
while  the  opposite  will  close  the  doors  against 
you.  In  this  day  of  wide  acquaintance  and 
travel  your  reputation  will  probably  precede 
you  into  the  new  territory  and  remain  there 


66  BEGINNING  THE  WORK. 

after  you  have  gone.  Whether  it  shall  be  help- 
ful or  otherwise  to  your  business,  you  alone 
must  determine. " — (K.) 

452.  "Be  Patient  at  all  Times.— Be  patient 
with  yourself ;  you  must  develop  the  quality  of 
endurance.  Show  that  you  are  physically  able 
to  bear  hardship  and  suffering,  to  undergo 
pain  and  trials  without  murmuring  and  fret- 
fulness.  This  is  a  necessary  element  for  your 
success  and  happiness.  Keep  yourself  in  the 
right  spirit  and  other  things  will  be  right.  Go 
wrong  yourself  and  all  other  things  will  go 
wrong.  We  expect  it  to  be  too  wet,  too  dry, 
too  hot  or  too  cold  for  weaklings.  But  the 
agent  who  sends  in  the  good  weekly  report 
hardly  observes  the  extreme  changes  in  the 
weather  except  to  take  advantage  of  them  to 
increase  his  business  by  seeking  those  who  are 
thus  temporarily  disengaged. 

"Be  patient  in  learning  this  business.  The 
same  lessons  you  have  to  learn  here  in  deal- 
ing with  people  will  prove  valuable  in  any 
other  enterprise.  If  trials  and  disappoint- 
ments seem  to  attend  you  here,  where  would 
you  go  to  avoid  like  experience?  Surely  not 
where  any  promise  of  success  is  worth  win- 
ning. 

"Be  patient  with  your  customers;  they  will 
not  always  be  patient  with  you.  They  are  of- 
ten preoccupied,  tired,  overwrought,  exhausted, 
disinterested  or  indifferent;  hence,  are  easily 
irritated.  Impatience  on  your  part  would 
surely  defeat  you." — (K.) 


BEGINNING  THE  WORK.  67 

453.  "Attend  to  Your  Business.— This  is 
absolutely  necessary  for  success  in  any  calling. 
Nothing  will  detract  more  quickly  from  your 
business  standing  than  failure  at  this  point. 
Business  habits  are  being  formed  now  that 
will  make  or  defeat  you  for  life.  There  will 
be  many  things  that  will  tempt  you  to  turn 
from  the  business  you  have  in  hand.  'The 
world,  the  flesh  and  the  devil'  will  camp  on 
your  trail  if  you  have  started  out  to  succeed. 
These  evil  forces  never  go  out  of  their  way 
to  trap  the  man  who  neglects  his  business 
or  idles  away  his  time — for  they  are  dead  sure 
of  him  in  the  start. 

"You  will  become  weary  of  canvassing,  dis- 
couraged at  times  and  feel  like  seeking  other 
employment.  This  might  be  the  most  fatal 
mistake  you  could  make.  But  whatever  your 
temptations,  do  not  hesitate  to  write  us  fully. 
W<?  aim  to  be  true  to  you  and  would  not  want 
to  advise  you  against  your  interests. " — (K.) 

454.  The  Voice. — A  good  voice  is  a  great 
gift.  There  is  character  in  the  voice.  Culti- 
vation will  help  the  voice  to  express  what  there 
is  in  the  thought  and  character.  If  you  are 
discouraged  and  dispirited  your  customer  will 
discover  it  in  your  voice.  If  you  are  earnest, 
enthusiastic  and  deeply  impressed  with  the 
importance  of  your  work  and  the  invaluable 
character  of  your  books,  it  will  be  told  in  your 
voice.  Therefore  look  well  to  your  mental 
attitude,  but  at  the  same  time  be  watchful  of 
your  voice.  Look  your  customer  modestly  but 


68  BEGINNING  THE  WORK. 

squarely  in  the  eye.  Speak  clearly  and  dis- 
tinctly so  that  you  can  be  heard,  but  speak 
directly  to  your  customer  and  not  to  some  im- 
aginary person  in  the  next  room.  While  you 
should  not  whisper  as  though  you  had  some- 
thing to  talk  about  that  you  were  ashamed  of, 
yet  you  do  not  want  the  neighbors  and  uninter- 
ested persons  to  hear  you.  Few  of  the  per- 
sons whom  you  canvass  have  learned  to  think 
sacredly  of  these  subjects,  and  you  must  be 
careful  not  to  embarrass  them  by  boisterous- 
ness.  Let  your  tones  be  conversational,  and 
let  every  sentence  be  animate  with  the  inter- 
est the  books  so  justly  merit. 

455.  How  to  Carry  Yonr  Books. — We  fur- 
nish no  prospectus.  Our  agents  all  canvass 
with  the  books  themselves.  It  is  always  best 
to  carry  the  full  set,  and  in  all  cases  where  the 
indications  are  favorable,  the  canvasser  should 
seek  to  secure  an  order  for  the  entire  right 
books.  They  are  written  in  the  order  of  an 
educational  series,  and  while  they  are  some- 
what independent  of  each  other,  yet  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  contents  of  the  entire  series  is  es- 
sential to  a  full  understanding  of  the  whole 
subject.  A  person  of  mature  years,  of  either 
sex,  may  read  the  entire  series  with  perfect 
propriety  and  great  profit.  There  is  nothing  in 
the  series  to  men  which  may  not  with  pro- 
priety be  read  by  women,  and  there  is  nothing 
in  the  series  to  women  which  may  not  be  read 
to  advantage  by  men.  We  have  a  neat,  con- 
venient and  comely  case,  especially  made,  care- 


BEGINNING  THE  WORK.  69 

fully  lined,  of  exact  size  for  the  entire  series, 
designed  to  protect  the  books,  afford  the  means 
of  carrying  and  the  best  facility  for  their  ex- 
hibition to  the  customer.  The  books  should  be 
arranged  in  their  order  so  that  when  the  case 
is  held  on  the  left  arm  the  titles  on  the  backs 
of  the  books  may  be  read  in  their  order  from 
the  top  downward.  This  enables  the  customer 
to  understand  the  order  of  the  series  and  the 
canvasser  to  select  any  desired  book  without  a 
moment's  hesitation. 

The  books  should  be  kept  just  as  clean  as 
possible,  and  where  the  paper  wrappers  or 
covers  become  soiled,  the  canvasser  should  se- 
cure new  wrappers  and  thus  always  keep  his 
outfit  in  first  class  condition.  Where  books 
become  slightly  soiled  they  may  be  sold  to  cus- 
tomers at  a  slight  reduction,  but  always  with 
the  distinct  understanding  that  the  reduction 
is  made  because  the  book  is  slightly  worn. 

While  the  best  methods  and  those  which 
have  been  tested  by  use  should  be  given  prefer- 
ence by  the  beginner,  yet  the  fact  that  suc- 
cessful solicitors  differ  in  some  manner  in 
their  way  of  making  the  approach  and  intro- 
duction proves  that  each  individual  must  make 
his  own  selection  out  of  the  group  of  the  best 
methods  and  forms  of  introduction  and  use 
the  one  most  natural  to  him  and  which  he  finds 
works  the  best  in  his  own  case.  One  should 
be  very  careful  that  he  makes  the  best  selec- 
tion, because  while  he  may  be  getting  good 
results  with  his  present  method,  if  he  would 


70  BEGINNING  THE  WORK. 

change  his  method  slightly  he  might  thereby 
increase  his  results  very  materially.  Some 
solicitors  believe  in  carrying  the  case  in  full 
view  always,  others  believe  it  is  better  to  keep 
it  from  view  as  much  as  possible  until  they 
have  gained  entrance  to  the  house.  The  vari- 
ous methods  of  gaining  admittance,  making 
the  introductions,  etc.,  are  discussed  more  fully 
in  the  supplement. 

Where  canvassers  are  not  able  to  purchase 
the  entire  set,  or  prefer  to  canvass  with  a  few 
samples,  we  recommend  "What  A  Young  Boy 
Ought  To  Know,"  "What  A  Young  Girl 
Ought  To  Know"  and  "What  A  Young  Wife 
Ought  To  Know."  Some  canvassers  often- 
times secure  very  good  results  with  these  three 
samples  and  a  good  supply  of  eight  paged 
pamphlets  or  by  the  use  of  the  tables  of  con- 
tents of  the  entire  series  which  are  found  on 
the  closing  pages  of  "What  A  Young  Wife 
Ought  To  Know. ' '  The  books  should  never  be 
carried  exposed  to  view.  If  wrapped  and 
carried  in  the  hand  the  covering  should  be 
carefully  chosen  and  such  as  not  to  attract  at- 
tention. It  is  always  best  to  keep  the  books 
out  of  sight,  and  where  only  samples  are  car- 
ried, this  can  usually  be  done  by  carrying  the 
books  in  different  pockets,  or  in  a  pocket  made 
specially  upon  the  inside  of  the  coat,  or  when 
carried  by  a  woman,  in  the  skirt  of  her  dress. 
When  wrapped  and  carried  in  the  hand  a  rub- 
ber band  is  much  better  than  a  string.  Ladies 
can  also  carry  their  three  samples  in  a  cloth 


BEGINNING  THE  WORK.  71 

shopping  bag.  Such  a  bag  can  be  made  out  of 
common  black  goods  so  as  to  close  at  the  top 
with  a  draw-string. 

456.  Handling  the  Books. — The  canvasser 
should  seek  the  greatest  possible  skill  in  hold- 
ing his  case  when  exhibiting  the  entire  set,  and 
after  relieving  himself  of  the  case  and  taking 
up  any  one,  or  each  of  the  books  separately,  he 
should  sit  or  stand  in  such  a  position  that 
the  customer  can  see  the  portraits  and  com- 
mendations, the  canvasser  simply  guiding  the 
eye  of  the  customer  by  letting  his  finger  fol- 
low the  particular  sentences  in  the  different 
commendations  to  which  he  refers.  Do  not 
read  the  entire  commendation  unless  it  is  spec- 
ially suited  to  a  particular  instance.  Select 
the  best  sentence  from  three  or  four  com- 
mendations. Commit  these  sentences  to  mem- 
ory, so  that  you  can  repeat  them  while  you  are 
pointing  them  out  and  calling  the  special  at- 
tention of  your  customer  to  them.  Speak  of 
the  eminence  and  national  or  international 
character  of  the  person  who  gives  the  com- 
mendation. This  is  important. 

Where  the  entire  series  is  being  canvassed 
for,  the  person  is  in  a  hurry,  and  much  time 
cannot  be  devoted  to  each  of  the  books  sep- 
arately. In  addition  to  the  portraits  and  com- 
mendations and  tables  of  contents  give  one  or 
two  selections  that  are  best  suited  to  the  age 
and  condition  of  the  person  being  canvassed. 
This  may  be  quite  sufficient.  Where  the  cus- 
tomer is  being  canvassed  for  a  single  book  or 


72  BEGINNING  THE  WOKK. 

two,  the  canvasser  can  work  his  book  and  pre- 
pare it  in  advance  so  that  the  book  will  open 
at  any  desired  page. 

457.  " Working  the   Book/1— In   order   to 
work  a  book  so  that  it  will  open  at  any  de- 
sired page  or  paragraph,  open  the  book  fully, 
at  the  same  time  using  care  not  to  break  or 
strain  the  back.     Now,  if  the  canvasser  with 
his  thumb  or  finger  nail,  or  any  smooth  sur- 
face, will  rub  a  surface  near  the  outer  ami  up- 
per corner  of  the  book  about  the  size  of  a  half 
dollar,  so  as  to  render  this  small  space  upon 
the  page  upon  the  right  hand   and   the  page 
upon  the  left  hand  smooth,  these  two  surfaces 
will  slip  easily  upon  each   other,  and   if   the 
three  or  four,  or  more,  different  places  in  the 
book  to  which  the  canvasser  desires  to  refer 
are  prepared  in  the  same  way,  the  canvasser 
can  turn  to  them  each  successively  by  simply 
placing  his  fingers  gently  upon  the  upper  riirht 
hand  corner  of  the  early  pages  of  the  book, 
and  as  he  presses  down  and  backward,  his  book 
will  open  at  once  to  the  first  place  where  the 
pages  have  been  smoothened  in  the  mam: 
have  indicated.     After  this  passage  has  been 
referred  to,  simply  place  the  hand  upon  the 
upper  right  hand  page  again,  press  gently,  and 
drawing  the  hand  back  the  book  will  open  at 
the  next  place  desired,  and  so  on  in  as  many 
places  as  may  be  advantageous. 

458.  Canvassers'    Formulas. — The   canvas- 
sers' formulas  printed  in  the  latter  pages  of 


BEGINNING  THE  WORK.  73 

this  book  are  suited  for  use  when  canvassing 
for  any  one  of  the  eight  books,  or  when  can- 
vassing for  the  four  books  to  men,  or  for  the 
four  books  to  women,  or  when  canvassing  a 
person  for  the  entire  set  of  books.  This  series 
of  canvassers'  formulas  have  been  prepared 
with  the  utmost  care,  and  are  designed  for 
daily  and  constant  use  by  the  canvasser.  We 
have  also  added  much  matter  of  great  value  to 
(hose  engaged  in  class  canvassing. 

These  canvasses  do  not  contain  all  that 
could  be  said  advantageously  of  any  one  of  the 
books.  Indeed  several  canvasses  equally  good 
might  be  prepared  which  would  not  contain  a 
single  thought  or  reference  contained  in  any 
other  of  the  canvasses  of  the  same  book.  Each 
of  these  canvasses,  however,  has  been  made  as 
good  as  it  was  possible  for  us  to  make  it,  and 
if  it  were  not  for  a  number  of  considerations 
which  render  it  inadvisable  to  do  so,  we  would 
require  each  and  every  canvasser  to  commit 
these  formulas  thoroughly  to  memory,  and  use 
them  word  for  word  when  conducting  a  can- 
vass. 

We  do  not,  however,  require  such  use  for  a 
number  of  considerations: 

1. — The  conditions  under  which  the  canvass 
is  to  be  made  is  different  in  different  instances. 

2. — No  two  of  the  persons  to  be  canvassed 
are  alike  in  education,  temperament  or  condi- 
tion, and  every  canvass  should  be  suited  to  the 
person  who  is  being  canvassed. 

3. — No  two  canvassers  are  alike  mentally, 
and  what  would  fit  the  mental  mold  of  one, 


74  BEGINNING  THE  WORK. 

will  not  fit  the  mental  mold  and  conditions  of 
another.  No  canvasser  can  do  his  best  work  in 
a  canvass  he  cannot  make  his  own. 

4. — it  would  require  an  extraordinary  mem- 
ory to  be  able  to  commit  these  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  repeat  them  word  for  word. 

5, — Not  one  canvasser  in  fifty  would  be  able 
to  repeat  it  without  falling  into  a  sing-song 
and  unnatural  tone  of  voice  and  manner. 

6. — The  memorized  formula  would  not  only 
be  likely  to  be  repeated  in  a  parrot-like  fash- 
ion, but  would  destroy  both  the  canvasser's 
personality  and  his  enthusiasm  as  well. 

These  canvasses  are  designed  to  prepare  the 
canvasser  to  show  each  particular  book  to  its 
best  advantage,  to  tell  him  just  what  to  say, 
and  how  to  say  it.  There  is  not  a  thought  or 
a  sentence  which  is  not  essential.  These  for- 
mulas should  be  studied  over  and  over  again, 
so  as  to  commit  thoroughly  their  thought  and 
substance,  without  necessarily  memorizing  the 
exact  words  or  expressions.  They  are  designed 
to  enable  the  canvasser  to  repeat  the  same 
substance  in  his  own  language.  They  should 
be  studied  "over  and  over  again "  until  they 
become  a  part  of  the  canvasser  himself.  We 
have  no  objection  to  the  canvasser  preparing 
a  better  formula,  if  he  is  capable  of  doing  so. 
Any  efforts  along  these  lines  will  always  be 
educational  and  prove  helpful  to  the  canvas- 
ser himself. 

Each  day  before  the  canvasser  starts  out  he 
should  read  a  chapter  in  one  or  other  of  the 
books,  and  thus  return  daily  to  his  work  with 


BEGINNING  THE  WORK.  75 

renewed  information  and  enthusiasm.  He 
should  be  so  enthusiastic  as  almost  to  be  a 
fanatic.  But  if  his  enthusiasm  is  under  skill- 
ful self-control  he  will  not  be  fanatic,  but  a 
forceful,  influential  personality,  and  a  thor- 
oughly successful  canvasser. 

Some  canvassers  find  it  to  their  advantage  to 
underscore  neatly  with  red  ink  in  the  books 
themselves  the  particular  sentences  they  de- 
sire to  use  in  canvassing.  At  all  events,  it  is 
well  to  have  the  tongue  and  fingers  so  trained 
that  they  will  keep  pace  when  reading  and 
pointing  out  passages  particularly  impressive 
and  best  suited  to  acquaint  the  customer  with 
the  character  of  the  books. 

459.  Practising  the  Canvasses.— It  is  well 
for  every  canvasser  after  having  made  a  thor- 
ough study  of  the  canvasses,  and  of  the  books 
themselves,  to  practise  his  canvass  with  some 
friend  before  beginning  his  work.  Some  can- 
vassers can  accomplish  this  same  result  by  an 
imaginary  approach  to  an  imaginary  house, 
ringing  an  imaginary  bell,  greeting  an  imagin- 
ary customer,  securing  an  imaginary  audience, 
and  then  canvassing  an  imaginary  customer. 
It  is  important  that  the  canvasser  should  se- 
cure great  familiarity  with  his  books  and  can- 
vasses, so  as  to  be  able  to  go  through  the  can- 
vass without  an  apparent  effort.  When  going 
through  such  rehearsals  be  dead  in  earnest, 
so  as  to  discover  any  lack  of  preparation,  and 
so  as  later  to  avoid  failure  in  the  actual  work. 


76  SECURING  A  HEARING. 

CHAPTER  VII. 
SECURING  A  HEARING. 

459a.  The  Three  Steps. — There  is  a  philoso- 
phy in  canvassing.  It  is  orderly  and  progres- 
sive. There  are  three  successive  steps,  and 
these  must  be  taken  in  their  right  order,  or 
failure  is  inevitable.  Blundering  is  bad  in  any 
business — in  canvassing  it  is  fatal.  The  three 
successive  steps  in  a  successful  canvass  are : 


p  p  p  P 


1.  Securing  a  hearing. 

2.  Creating  the  desire. 

3.  Obtaining  the  subscription. 

460.  Knowing  Your  Customer.  —  Before 
meeting  your  prospective  customer,  if  possible, 
be  sure  to  know  his  or  her  name.  In  class 
canvassing  this  can  be  learned  from  the  per- 
sons who  have  been  helpful  to  you  in  arrang- 
ing for  your  class  work.  In  a  house  to  house 
canvass,  it  can  be  learned  from  the  neighbors. 
Before  leaving  a  house  always  inquire  the 
name  of  the  parties  next  door,  how  many  con- 
stitute the  family,  something  of  the  age  of 
the  people,  their  occupation,  number  of  chil- 
dren, etc.,  etc.  There  is  seldom  any  trouble  in 
securing  this  information.  People  are  always 
glad  to  tell  you  all  you  wish  to  know  about 


SECURING  A  HEARING.  77 

their  neighbors.  Get  this  information  concern- 
ing the  next  two  to  be  visited  and  then  if  the 
one  immediately  next  should  not  be  in,  you  will 
not  be  at  a  loss  at  the  second  house.  Write 
down  the  names  if  you  are  liable  to  forget 
them.  It  is  an  egregious  blunder  to  say,  "Is 
the  lady  of  the  house  in?"  or  "May  I  see  the 
lady  of  the  house?"  If  possible  learn  in  ad- 
vance the  name  of  the  party  upon  whom  you 
are  to  call.  To  address  the  person  by  name 
doubles  your  chances  of  gaining  an  attentive 
audience  and  securing  an  order. 

461.  Approaching  the  House.— "Approach 
a  home  boldly  and  in  a  manly  way,  as  though 
you  were  not  ashamed  to  be  seen.  Knock  at 
the  door  or  ring  the  bell  clearly  and  distinctly, 
not  too  low,  too  loud  or  too  long.  When  you 
do  this  just  right,  the  people  inside  will  know 
that  there  is  an  energetic  business  man  at  the 
door."—  (K.) 

As  far  as  possible,  avoid  canvassing  persons 
on  the  street,  on  the  front  porch,  and  while 
they  are  standing  in  the  door  way. 

After  you  have  rung  the  door-bell,  the  criti- 
cal moment  has  arrived.  Will  they  respond  to 
your  ring?  Who  will  come  to  the  door? 
What  will  you  say?  These  and  many  other 
questions  will  arise. 

If  no  one  comes  to  the  front  door,  then  go  to 
the  kitchen  door.  If  the  servant  girl  meets 
you  at  the  kitchen  door,  canvass  her.  She 
needs  the  books  and  hundreds  of  servant  girls 
buy  "What  A  Young  Woman  Ought  To 


78  SECURING  A  HEARING. 

Know."  After  canvassing  her,  if  the  woman 
of  the  house  is  in,  you  may  be  able  to  gain 
audience  with  her  through  the  servant. 

If  you  have  trouble  in  gaining  admission,  do 
not  be  discouraged.  In  writing,  one  canv.i 
says:  "At  two  homes  I  had  trouble  in  irainini: 
admission.  At  both  places  I  sold  bonks  be- 
fore I  got  out,  at  one  place  I  sold  five,  at  the 
other  I  sold  one." 

Wihen  you  get  no  response  to  ynur  runrin^ 
of  the  door-bell,  take  the  number  of  the  h<> 
and  return  again  before  you  leave  that  section, 
or  if  the  people  are  away  from  home,  return 
in  a  day  or  two.     Do  thorough  work. 

Do  not,  in  built-up  sections,  pass  when  in 
your  canvass  from  one  side  of  the  street  to  the 
other.  The  people  upon  the  opposite  side  may 
have  seen  you  passing  from  house  to  house, 
take  you  for  "some  peddler"  and  purpo^ 
not  respond  to  your  knock  or  rinir.  Canvass 
around  the  square  rather  than  up  one  side  and 
down  the  other  side  of  the  same  square.  At- 
tention to  these  little  details  means  much. 

462.  The  Salutation. — For  different  modes 
of  salutation  we  must  refer  the  reader  to  the 
Canvasser's  Formulas.  In  view  of  the  fact 
that  we  are  prosecuting  a  great  crusade  for 
personal  and  social  purity,  and  as  the  pastors 
in  each  city,  or  locality,  are  all  enlisted  and 
their  co-operation  has  been  secured  before  the 
canvass  is  begun,  it  is  proper  for  the  canvass- 
er to  present  himself  in  the  light  of  one  who  is 
prosecuting  the  work  of  a  special  crusade  in 


SECURING  A  HEARING.  79 

the  city,  and  when  the  head  of  the  house,  or 
some  principal  member  of  the  family  responds 
to  the  door-bell,  it  is  perfectly  proper  to  in- 
troduce your  work  in  the  following  manner: 
"Is  this  Mrs.  Jones?  My  name  is  Smith.  I 
am  in —  -  in  the  interests  of  the  purity 
campaign,  in  which  the  pastors  of  the  different 
local  churches  are  taking  part,  and  with  your 
kind  permission  I  will  step  in  and  explain  it." 

Take  it  for  granted  that  you  are  going  to  be 
admitted.  Indicate  your  expectation  in  your 
face,  in  your  bearing,  and  in  a  courteous  and 
easy  manner  which  shows  that  you  are  at  ease 
in  the  best  of  homes,  enter  at  once  without 
further  ceremony,  unless  the  attitude  and  bear- 
ing of  the  person  at  the  door  should  be  such  as 
to  be  prohibitive.  In  such  an  event  your  ap- 
pearance, the  expression  upon  your  face,  your 
cheerful,  manly  bearing,  and  the  character  of 
your  response  will  go  far  to  determine  the  re- 
sult. (See  supplement.) 

The  statement  that  no  intelligent  person  can 
afford  to  be  ignorant  of  the  character  of  the 
movement  which  is  being  inaugurated  in  the 
city,  and  that  you  will  take  but  a  few  mo- 
ments of  their  time,  is  likely  to  be  effective. 
No  person  likes  to  be  thought  unintelligent  or 
ignorant,  and  the  appeal  to  their  intelligence 
is  one  which  few  people  will  resist. 

Where  the  servant  responds  to  the  ringing 
of  the  door-bell,  the  visiting  card  should  be 
ready.  Inquire  whether  Mrs.  Jones  is  in.  Send 
up  your  card  without  explaining  the  nature  of 


80  SECURING  A  HEARING. 

your  business.     Do   not   stand    at   the   door, 
waiting  for  the  servant  to  go  and  return,  but 
if  possible  enter  at  once,  stepping  inside  the 
door,  hang  up  your  hat,  and  step  into  the  par- 
lor, take  a  seat,  and  await  the  coming  of  Mrs. 
Jones.     When  Mrs.  Jones  enters,  you  should 
rise  and  introduce  yourself  ami   then 
with  your  introductory  remarks  in 
with  suggestions  made  in   the   supplement    in 
the  last  pages  of  this  book,  as  the 
there  suggested  for  introducing  the  work  ami 
giving  mothers  the  right  impression  regard ini: 
it  have  been  found  to  brinir  the  best    results 
by  our  very  most  successful  canvn  -  <>me 

canvassers  prefer  introducing  the  b«»nk<  imme- 
diately, but  where  possih  .-ihvays  best 
to  prepare  your  customer's  mind  by  the  sug- 
gested introductory  remarks. 

With  your  permission  I  desire  to  show  you 
this  commendation,  signed  by  all  the  pastors 
in  the  city.  When  reading  and  showing  the 
commendation,  if  you  know  the  denomination 
to  which  Mrs.  Jones  belongs,  call  her  especial 
attention  to  the  signature  of  her  own  pastor. 
If  you  have  a  card  of  personal  introduction  to 
Mrs.  Jones,  from  her  pastor,  or  a  letter  of  in- 
troduction from  a  friend,  this  will  make  your 
call  additionally  effective. 

463.  Busy  Persons. — Oftentimes  the  excnse 
of  being  busy  is  simply  a  pretext  in  order  to 
get  rid  of  the  consideration  of  the  subject  you 
have  to  present.  In  such  instances  never  allow 
yourself  to  be  irritated.  Remain  calm  and  un- 


SECURING  A  HEARING.  81 

disturbed.  Insist  that  the  movement  in  which 
you  are  engaged  is  so  important  that  no  intel- 
ligent person  can  afford  to  be  ignorant  of  it. 
That  you  will  take  but  a  few  moments,  and  as 
a  progressive  person  they  should  know  about 
it,  even  though  they  should  not  enlist  in  it. 
If  the  person  is  so  occupied  that  to  persist  in 
asking  attention  would  cause  irritation,  then  it 
is  always  better  to  seek  to  make  a  definite  ap- 
pointment for  some  future  time,  without  fur- 
ther disclosing  the  nature  of  your  work. 

When  a  busy  man  or  woman  says,  "I  will 
see  you  in  a  moment, "  sit  down  and  wait  for 
them;  or  if  they  are  engaged  in  conversation, 
retire  from  their  presence  until  they  are  dis- 
engaged. When  people  meet  you  by  saying, 
"I  am  almost  too  busy  to  see  you,"  it  is  well 
to  reply,  "It  is  always  the  busy  people  who 
are  interested  in  my  work,  idlers  are  not  in- 
terested. I  presume  you  have  found  it  as  1 
have,  that  if  you  want  anything  done,  go  to  a 
busy  man,  he  always  finds  time  to  do  what 
needs  to  be  done."  "Continuing,  'I  do  not 
wish  to  take  your  time  while  you  are  so  busy, 
but  if  you  will  give  me  just  a  minute  I  can 
show  you  what  I  have;  then  if  you  are  inter- 
ested, I  might  see  you  again/  With  this  he 
will  probably  hear  you.  Then  put  in  the  best 
minute  of  your  life.  Do  not  attempt  to  say 
all  that  may  be  said,  but  say  the  few  things 
that  should  be  said  in  the  time  allotted.  If  you 
use  this  minute  rightly,  he  will  probably  want 
you  to  continue,  as  you  will  easily  observe,  or 
he  may  give  you  his  order.  If  he  says,  'See 


82  SECURING  A  HEARING. 

me  some  other  time/  ask  him  to  name  the 
time  that  will  suit  his  convenience;  then  say 
to  him,  'Why  not  close  the  order  now?  I  am 
sure  you  will  want  the  book  or  the  entire  set. 
Better  give  me  your  name  now ;  it  will  be  help- 
ful in  securing  others.'  "—  (K.) 

464.  The   Honest    Eye. — Throughout   your 
interview  look  your  customer  squarely  in  the 
eye.     Don't   stare   him   out   of   countenance, 
neither  let  your  eyes  avoid  his  glance.    There 
is  power  and  impressiveness  in  the  human  eye. 
By  looking  him  squarely  in  the  face  you  will 
have  a  controlling  influence,  and  will  be  best 
able  to  read  the  thoughts  in  the  mind  of  your 
customer. 

465.  Which  Book  to  Present. — WThere  con- 
ditions evince  a  probability  of  success,  the  can- 
vasser should  always  seek   to  secure  a  sub- 
scription for  the  entire  set  of  books.    Where 
this  would  not  be  judicious  the  canvasser  must 
immediately  judge  which  book  is  best  adapted 
to  meet  the  needs  of  the  person.    Parents  are 
always  interested  in  their  sons  and  daughters ; 
brothers  often  purchase  for  their  sisters,  and 
even  more  frequently  sisters  purchase  for  their 
brothers.     Young  married  people  will  always 
desire   "What  A  Young  Husband   Ought  to 
Know"  and  "Wlhat  A  Young  Wife  Ought  to 
Know."     Where    there    are    young    children, 
the   books   to    "Young   Boys"    and    "Young 
Girls"  will  find  a  ready  sale.     Mothers  are 
even  more  likely  to  purchase  for  their  chil- 


SECURING  A  HEARING.  83 

dren  than  the  fathers.  Grandparents  will  of- 
ten make  purchases  for  their  grandchildren. 
Persons  of  middle  life  will  be  sure  to  find  much 
in  the  books  addressed  to  men  and  women  of 
forty-five.  Sell  one  book  where  you  can  not 
sell  more,  but  seek  constantly  to  sell  the  en- 
tire set  wherever  possible. 

466.  Undivided   Attention.— After   a   few 
pleasant  greetings,  suited  to  secure  kindly  con- 
sideration, the  canvasser  should  seek  to  secure 
the  undivided  attention  of  his  customer.     To 
do  this  he  must  himself  be  thoroughly  inter- 
ested in  his  books,  must  proceed  orderly  in  his 
canvass,  must  be  quick  to  discover  when  the 
moment    has    arrived    to    close    the    canvass, 
should  seek  to  take  no  more  time  than  is  nec- 
essary, but  should  proceed  step  by  step,  and 
point  by  point,  until  the  customer  is  sufficiently 
impressed  and  the  subscription  secured. 

467.  Studying  People  Before  You  Get  to 
Them. — "Lincoln  said  that  when  he  had  an 
argument  to  make  before  a  man,  he  spent  one- 
third  of  his  time  studying  the  man,  and  two- 
thirds  of  his  time  studying  himself  and  his 
argument.     Notice  what  the  Book  of  Instruc- 
tions says  about  different  classes  of  people  and 
the  kind  of  a  talk  to  mak*  to  them.     When 
you  are  referred  to  a  man,  find  out  how  old 
he  is,  what  education  he  has  had,  what  his 
business  is,  what  his  tastes  are,  what  church 
he  belongs  to,  and  to  what  political  party  he 
belongs.    If  you  don't  do  these  things  you  are 


84  SECURING  A  HEARING. 

losing  a  splendid  opportunity.  When  you  are 
referred  to  a  married  woman  find  out  how 
many  children  she  has,  how  old  they  are, 
whether  she  is  interested  in  reading  or  not, 
and  whether  or  not  her  children  are  interested 
in  reading.  Generally  some  boy  or  girl  is 
known  through  the  neighborhood  as  a  great 
reader.  If  you  know  that  fact,  you  can  al- 
ways make  capital  out  of  it,  as  it  is  quite  a 
compliment  to  have  you  speak  about  it.  Of 
course  you  must  do  it  tactfully.  Do  you  know 
what  church  the  lady  belongs  to,  and  whether 
or  not  she  is  a  prominent  worker  in  church 
and  society  circles?  What  is  her  husband's 
occupation  or  her  occupation,  if  she  has  one? 
One  woman  may  be  a  dressmaker,  another  a 
teacher,  while  another  may  be  a  washer- 
woman, another  is  the  banker's  wife,  while 
still  another  is  the  preacher's  wife,  etc.  You 
should  study  a  woman  in  relation  to  her  edu- 
cation, her  social  or  business  position,  her 
church,  her  children  and  every  other  important 
thing  which  may  relate  to  her.  Study  men  in 
exactly  the  same  way.  Consider  every  pos- 
sible phase  of  their  life,  then  frame  your  ar- 
gument to  fit  your  customer.  An  agent  has  to 
use  his  head  in  order  to  do  this  successfully, 
he  has  to  use  his  head  if  he  ever  expects  to 
have  anything  better  than  mush  and  milk  to 
eat."—  (K.) 

468.  Getting  Started.— "  Getting  started  in 
the  book  business  is  like  getting  started  in  any 
other  kind  of  business,  innumerable  apparent 


SECURING  A  HEARING.  85 

difficulties  present  themselves,  everything  is 
new.  The  individual  is  nervous.  When  he 
needs  to  know  his  business  the  best,  he  knows 
it  the  worst.  He  is  not  in  the  best  physical 
trim  the  first  week  and  for  that  reason  he 
should  watch  his  health,  and  not  overdo  until 
he  gets  a  little  used  to  it.  The  new  agent  who 
works  long  and  hard  the  first  day  or  two  is 
apt  to  feel  about  as  bad  as  the  boy  who  goes 
into  a  football  game  without  any  practice. 
After  exerting  all  one's  energy,  and  enthusi- 
asm, and  nervous  force  during  the  first  two 
days,  the  new  agent  will  get  up  the  third 
morning  tired  and  stiff  all  over.  He  tries  to 
work,  but  he  has  neither  fire,  enthusiasm  nor 
magnetism.  He  is  to  a  certain  extent  men- 
tally depleted.  He  tries  to  get  business,  but 
his  arguments  sound  hollow  and  dry.  They 
lack  the  requisite  enthusiasm.  Without  en- 
thusiasm it  is  impossible  to  produce  convic- 
tion. What  is  the  result  ?  You  can 't  close  the 
order.  You  can't  do  it  si-iply  because  you 
are  tired.  When  in  that  condition  you  are 
bound  to  get  over  into  the  next  stage.  You 
are  bound  to  get  blue.  When  you  are  tired 
and  blue  the  best  of  canvassers  can  not  get 
business.  There  is  just  one  thing  to  do:  stop 
and  rest  for  a  few  hours,  and  then  work  grad- 
ually until  you  get  used  to  it.  Don't  try  to 
conquer  the  world  the  first  day  or  the  first 
week.  If  you  do  you  will  wear  yourself  out 
and  get  discouraged.  Here  is  where  some  men 
lose  their  nerve,  and  courage,  as  well  as  their 
head.  Simply  because  they  are  blue  and  worn 


86  SECURING  A  HEARING. 

out  they  lose  confidence  in  themselves  and  the 
business  and  everything  else.  Right  here  is 
where  you  have  got  to  rally  yourself,  use  your 
will-power  and  assert  your  manhood.  Go  to 
your  room,  study  your  work  over,  and  have  a 
good  sleep.  You  will  wake  up  refreshed  and 
ready  for  work  and  big  success/' — (K.) 

469.  "Getting  in  and  Getting  Started.— 
There  are  some  men  who  are  very  rude,  and, 
although  they  have  no  reason  for  it,  brutally 
refuse  an  audience,  but  no  matter  what  a  man 
may  be  like  he  always  has  many  good  traits 
of  character,  and  even  before  you  see  him  you 
just  think  of  him  at  his  best,  it  places  you  in 
a  much  better  attitude  to  approach  him.  The 
kind  of  an  individual  you  have  pictured  is  ex- 
pressed in  your  own  face,  and  your  own  free, 
easy,  good-natured,  confident  expression  admits 
you.  Absolute  confidence  that  you  are  going 
in,  instantly  brushes  aside  any  misgivings  on 
the  part  of  the  person  interviewed.  Let  your 
whole  appearance  be  as  inviting  as  your  face. 
Cleanliness  and  dress  have  much  to  do  with  a 
man's  reception;  everything  in  this  instance, 
because  he  will  be  misjudged  if  he  doesn  't  look 
neat  and  clean.  Now,  when  you  do  get  in, 
make  your  first  ten  words  count.  You  can't 
sit  down  and  wait  four  or  five  minutes  to 
'size  up  your  customer;'  do  that  while  you  are 
introducing  yourself. 

"It  isn't  hard  to  get  an  interview.  Of 
course,  if  a  person  doesn't  expect  much  he 
won't  get  much.  If  a  salesman  feels  that  he  is 


SECURING  A  HEARING.  87 

calling  on  one  who  is  much  his  superior,  he 
will  be  half-hearted  and  fail  to  make  an  im- 
pression. Be  alert,  enthusiastic,  positive  in 
your  nature,  and  positive  that  you  are  going 
to  secure  an  interview  and  get  business.  Be 
cheerful,  too.  If  you  are  feeling  fine  your  cus- 
tomer will  feel  fine.  Introduce  yourself  and 
come  to  the  point  at  once.  Let  your  manner  be 
such  as  to  win  his  confidence,  for  that  must 
be  done.  You  must  gain  and  hold  his  atten- 
tion, and  the  more  attentive  he  is,  the  more 
your  suggestions  will  impress  him.  It  takes 
earnestness  and  a  fellow-feeling,  and  expres-» 
sion;  facial  expression  as  well  as  vocal.  A 
good  tone  of  voice  is  absolutely  essential.  One 
monotonous  tone  all  the  way  through  will  kill 
the  order.  It  isn't  necessary  to  learn  to  play 
tricks  with  the  voice  in  order  to  be  a  sales- 
man. Simply  speak  clearly  and  distinctly  and 
in  a  conversational  tone.  Sometimes  drop  into 
a  confidential  tone;  then  louder,  then  with 
more  zeal  and  enthusiasm  as  you  touch  on  dif- 
ferent themes.  I  believe  the  tone  of  a  sales- 
man's voice  has  as  much  to  do  with  his  suc- 
cess as  any  other  one  thing.  By  the  tone  of  the 
voice,  even  more  than  by  the  words  themselves, 
are  the  thoughts  of  the  salesman  conveyed  to 
the  customer.  The  voice  betrays  the  emo- 
tions. If  you  are  afraid  your  customer  isn't 
going  to  buy,  your  voice  betrays  your  feelings, 
and  to  a  great  extent  influences  the  customer. 
If  a  person  contradicts  you,  the  tone  of  your 
voice  in  reply  is  peculiar.  A  person  who  hasn  't 
heard  the  contradiction,  but  heard  your  reply, 


88  SECURING  A  HEARING. 

would  know  that  you  had  been  contradicted. 
I  have  noticed  many  new  agents  using  this 
tone  when  nothing  had  been  said  by  the  cus- 
tomer at  all.  The  salesman  simply  imagines 
that  if  anything  were  said  it  would  be  unfa- 
vorable. The  tone  of  his  voice,  therefore,  be- 
trayed his  feelings  and  he  lost  the  order.  A 
confident  tone — one  that  makes  any  customer 
feel  and  know  that  the  salesman  believes  what 
he  says-  and  expects  to  be  believed,  is  good 
capital  for  a  salesman. 

"The  principal  thing  is  to  feel  right.  Feel 
what  you  say  and  say  it  with  life  and  meaning. 
And  keep  an  eye  on  your  face;  don't  let  it 
get  too  long,  it  must  express  the  delight  and 
enthusiasm  you  feel.  The  face  is  the  reflec- 
tion of  inner  goodness.  Get  a  man's  confi- 
dence; find  a  bond  of  sympathy;  it  means 
much.  Link  your  business  with  his,  whatever 
it  may  be,  and  show  him  some  good  point 
which  is  considered  a  great  advantage  by  ev- 
eryone, but  a  point  which  will  be  of  special  in- 
terest to  a  man  engaged  in  his  particular  busi- 
ness. Put  enthusiasm  into  your  every  utter- 
ance. Get  your  customer's  confidence  as  soon 
as  possible,  and  that's  something  that  can't 
be  done  haphazard.  Every  customer  has  a 
head  and  he  has  intuition,  although  not  so 
much  intuition  as  the  salesman,  but  he  will 
size  you  up  according  to  his  standard  and  do 
it  quickly.  If  he  gets  the  wrong  impression  the 
sale  is  likely  lost,  for  a  customer  doesn't  buy 
your  books  simply  because  he  likes  them,  but 
because  he  likes  the  salesman  also.  How 


SECURING  A  HEARING.  89 

important  then  it  is  to  get  his  good-will  and 
his  confidence.  It  means  not  only  a  sale,  but  a 
successful  career. 

"First  of  all,  appear  well.  See  that  your 
personal  appearance  is  all  that  could  be  de- 
sired; not  flashy,  but  neat.  A  high  collar 
is  not  so  important  as  a  clean  one.  Be  at  your 
best;  feel  your  best;  and  then  you  will  look 
your  best.  Above  all  things,  be  upright.  Have 
the  consciousness  of  a  righteous  cause;  hon- 
estly conduct  it,  and  then  be  yourself.  Be  na- 
tural, polite,  courteous,  modest,  and  in  ear- 
nest. Have  around  you  a  success  atmosphere 
and  an  enthusiasm  that  wins.  Don't  be  bois- 
terous or  loud.  Be  wide  awake,  but  let  your 
tone  be  low,  natural  and  conversational,  and 
your  statements  modest.  Don't  make  big 
statements  at  first;  I  mean,  don't  claim  for 
your  books  everything  they  are  entitled  to. 
He  will  think  it  too  good  to  be  true,  and  get 
suspicious.  Don't,  if  possible,  begin  by  tell- 
ing him  something  new.  Tell  him  something 
that  he  himself  knows  and  knows  to  be  true, 
then  you  have  his  confidence  and  you  can 
gradually  unfold  to  him  the  splendid  possi- 
bilities of  your  books.  Describe  them  to  him 
in  the  most  glowing  terms  and  convince  him 
of  their  worth;  you  can't  say  too  much.  Put 
your  personality  into  them.  Put  personality 
and  vim  into  your  every  move,  thought  and 
word." — From  "The  Personal  Helper."  Copy- 
righted, 1905,  by  George  H.  Knox. 


90  CREATING  DESIRE. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
CREATING  DESIRE. 

470.  The  Auspicious  Moment. — Having 
gained  an  audience  and  having  successfully 
secured  the  attention  of  the  customer,  your 
work  is  auspiciously  begun.  All  that  has  pre- 
ceded has  been  done  simply  to  secure  the  op- 
portunity to  impress  the  person  with  the  im- 
portance of  the  work,  the  invaluable  charac- 
ter of  the  books,  to  awaken  interest  and 
ate  desire.  Desire  must  precede  demand.  The 
customer  desires  his  dollars,  and  is  going  to 
hold  on  to  them  until  you  create  in  his  mind 
a  desire  for  your  books  which  shall  exceed 
the  desire  which  he  has  for  his  dollars.  He 
knows  the  value  of  his  dollars,  he  does  not 
know  the  value  of  your  books.  The  value 
of  any  one  book  in  the  series  is  not  one  dol- 
lar, that  is  the  price,  but  the  value  exceeds 
the  value  of  many  dollars.  To  many  persons 
the  information  which  they  contain  is  invalu- 
able. Whatever  value  the  individual  places 
upon  happiness,  blessing,  prosperity  and 
health,  that  is  the  value  of  the  book  which 
is  best  suited  to  his  need.  It  is  your  business 
to  help  the  customer  to  understand  the  char- 
acter and  value  of  these  books.  Your  success 
or  failure  will  be  in  proportion  to  your  ability 
to  do  this.  If  you  are  not  thoroughly  familiar 


CREATING  DESIRE.  91 

with  the  books,  do  not  understand  the  univer- 
sal need  for  their  widest  possible  circulation, 
if  you  do  not  yourself  appreciate  their  value 
and  their  indispensable  character,  you  will 
never  be  able  to  make  your  customer  feel  it. 
You  can  create  no  greater  interest  in  the  mind 
of  others  than  you  have  in  your  own  mind. 
Water  cannot  rise  above  its  level. 

471.  They  Know  Nothing  About  the  Books. 
— Many  persons  upon  whom  the  canvasser 
calls  have  seen  the  advertisements  of  the 
books  in  the  magazines  and  periodicals,  some 
have  heard  of  the  books  through  their  friends, 
occasionally  persons  are  waiting  to  subscribe; 
but  you  must  assume  that  the  great  mass 
of  people  upon  whom  you  call  have  never 
heard  of  the  books,  know  nothing  of  their 
value,  and  of  course  do  not  want  to  buy 
either  the  set  or  any  one  of  the  books.  They 
not  only  do  not  know  anything  about  the 
books,  neither  will  they  ever  know  anything 
about  them,  unless  you  wisely  and  judiciously 
use  your  opportunity  to  acquaint  them  with 
their  character  and  value. 

Never  make  the  mistake  of  securing  an  au- 
dience, telling  that  you  are  selling  some 
Purity  Books,  and  asking,  " Don't  you  want  to 
subscribe^'  Of  course,  they  do  not  want 
to  subscribe.  A  person  never  lived  who  wants 
to  subscribe  for  a  book  until  somebody  has 
interested  him  in  it.  He  has  never  heard  of 
the  book  and  would  not  even  thank  you  if  you 
were  to  give  him  one  of  these  books;  much 


92  CREATING  DESIRE. 

less  are  they  ready  to  subscribe  and  pay  a  dol- 
lar for  it.  It  is  your  business  to  make  them 
intelligent  with  regard  to  its  character  and 
value,  awaken  a  strong  desire,  and  the  sub- 
scription is  yours  without  asking  for  it.  To 
make  it  emphatic,  let  me  repeat  a  .train,  \\licn 
you  get  into  the  presence  of  your  customer 
remember  that  the  desire  to  possess  the  book 
does  not  exist,  but  that  it  is  your  especial 
business,  and  that  you  have  come  for  the 
very  purpose  of  creating  that  desire.  If  you 
fail  in  that,  your  failure  is  complete. 

Let  the  thought  of  the  subs*  itself 

sink  for  the  present  into  oblivion.  The  JMT- 
son  who  is  before  you  has  great  need,  ha- 
fered  much  in  the  past,  is  sufiVrinir  in  the 
present,  and  will  continue  to  suffer  in  the  fu- 
ture for  the  lack  of  the  very  information 
which  these  books  contain.  You  are  this  per- 
son's benefactor.  Intellectually,  physically, 
socially  this  person  is  being  measurably  fam- 
ished. He  or  she  is  suffering  for  the  lack  of 
the  very  information  these  books  contain. 
Your  appreciation  of  their  need,  your  acquaint- 
ance with  the  books  and  ability  to  present 
their  merits  will  prove  this  person's  ble- 
If  you  fail  in  this  matter,  you  have  not  only 
lost  an  opportunity  to  do  good,  but  your  fail- 
ure will  result  in  loss  of  happiness  and  bless- 
ing not  only  to  the  person  you  are  canvass- 
ing, but  to  the  generations  which  are  to  come 
after.  Rise  to  the  level  of  both  your  privilege 
and  your  duty,  and  you  will  leave  benediction 
and  blessing  in  pretty  much  every  home  you 
enter. 


CREATING  DESIRE.  93 

If  the  only  way  to  sell  these  books  is  to 
make  the  people  want  them,  then  the  way  to 
accomplish  this  is  by  an  intelligent  and  im- 
pressive description  of  the  books  themselves. 
It  is  usually  best  to  keep  them  in  your  own 
hands.  Possession  is  power.  When  you  sur- 
render the  book  you  lose  the  power  to  show 
it.  You  will  no  longer  be  leading  the  thought 
of  your  customer,  but  will  be  allowing  his 
mind  to  stray  and  wander.  When  canvassing 
a  woman  for  any  special  book,  if  you  call  her 
attention  to  portions  of  the  contents  contain- 
ing subjects  of  a  delicate  nature,  hand  her 
the  book  opened  at  the  place  you  have  se- 
lected, and  say,  "Mrs.  Jones,  glance  over  the 
titles  of  these  chapters, "  and  as  she  finishes 
say,  "These  are  fine  books  are  they  not,  Mrs. 
Jones ' '  ?  Then  proceed  with  your  canvass.  See 
supplement. 

472.  Canvassing  People  in  Groups. — If  you 
are  unexpectedly  thrown  into  a  company  of 
several  persons  whom  you  cannot  gather  about 
you  while  you  describe  any  one  book,  then  it 
may  be  well  to  hand  to  the  different  persons  in 
the  company  copies  of  such  books  as  may  be 
best  suited  to  their  gender  and  age.    Such  an 
occasion  demands  great  tact  and  requires  the 
skill  of  a  general,  but  when  such  a  canvass 
is  well  managed,  not  only  several  books,  but 
sometimes  several  sets  can  be  sold  at  one  time 
to  different  members  of  the  same  company.    It 
is  well,  however,  never  to  seek  to  canvass  peo- 
ple in  groups,  but  always  singly  and  alone. 

473.  Do  Not  be  Afraid  to  Talk.— If  you 
are   a  salesman,   people   expect  you  to  talk. 


94  CREATING  DESIRE. 

They  expect  you  to  understand  your  books,  and 
to  be  able  to  tell  them  intelligently  concerning 
their  merits.  You  cannot  do  justice  to  your- 
self or  to  your  books  unless  you  talk,  but  talk 
to  the  point.  Entertain  and  instruct  your 
customer,  if  possible.  Tell  him  a  lot  of  things 
he  does  not  know,  but  do  not  let  him  suspect 
for  one  moment  that  you  fancy  that  he  does 
not  already  know.  Tell  him  things  which  you 
are  confident  he  already  knows,  for  his  recog- 
nition of  the  truth  of  your  statements  \\;I1 
confirm  him  in  the  conviction  that  you  know 
what  you  are  talking  about  when  speaking  of 
things  which  he  has  not  himself  understood. 
Do  not  either  by  word  or  manner  sup-rest  to 
your  customer  that  you  think  him  uninformed 
of  what  you  are  telling  him.  He  will  be  more 
appreciative  and  more  influenced  if  by  your 
manner  you  presume  that  he  already  kn< 
what  at  the  same  time  you  know  that  he  does 
not  know.  Be  exceedingly  respectful.  Be 
hopeful,  be  confident,  be  enthusiastic,  but  be 
respectful  and  deferential  at  all  times.  Be  po- 
lite, but  not  silly,  be  confident,  but  not  domi- 
neering; be  intelligent,  but  not  presuming. 

474.  Neither  Weary  Nor  Hurry.— Do  not 
weary  your  customer.  Be  as  brief  as  possible. 
His  time  is  as  valuable  as  yours.  At  the  same 
time  do  not  hurry,  be  calm,  be  deliberate, 
take  all  the  time  that  is  necessary,  but  not  a 
moment  more  than  is  needed.  Watch  your 
customer's  face.  As  soon  as  you  discover  that 
he  is  thoroughly  interested  close  the  order. 


CREATING  DESIRE.  95 

475.  The  Needs  of  the  Poor.— Well-equip- 
ped canvassers  frequently  desire  to  canvass 
only  among  the  wealthy,  because  they  have  the 
better  opportunity  to  sell  the  books  in  com- 
plete sets.  Most  canvassers  find  their  best 
customers  and  their  readiest  sales  among  the 
great  middle  class — those  who  are  neither  very 
rich,  nor  very  poor.  But  the  canvasser  who  is 
best  equipped  for  his  work  recognizes  also  the 
needs  of  the  very  poor.  Some  canvassers  will  go 
into  homes  where  they  have  no  carpets,  but  lit- 
tle furniture,  and  only  the  barest  necessities 
and  allow  themselves  to  feel  that  these  people 
are  too  poor  to  buy  books.  There  may  be  such 
instances,  but  as  a  rule  the  canvasser  is  doing  a 
great  injustice  to  these  people  when  he  does 
not  canvass  them  just  as  thoroughly  and  as 
conscientiously  as  if  they  had  every  indica- 
tion of  affluence  and  wealth.  Nine  cases  out 
of  ten,  the  cause  of  their  poverty  and  the  ab- 
sence of  manifest  comforts  is  due  to  nothing 
else,  so  much  as  their  lack  of  the  very  infor- 
mation which  these  books  contain. 

Henry  Clay  came  from  just  such  a  home, 
and  he  said,  "A  wise  mother  and  good  books 
enabled  me  to  succeed  in  life.  My  mother  was 
very  poor,  but  never  too  poor  to  buy  books  for 
her  children.  It  is  a  mean  sort  of  poverty  that 
starves  the  mind  to  feed  the  body."  Lincoln, 
Garfield,  and  thousands  of  men  who  became 
the  most  prominent  and  most  useful  figures  in 
this  country  have  come  from  homes  just  such 
as  these.  It  was  helpful  books  that  lifted 
these  boys  to  places  of  eminence.  It  was  great 


96  CREATING  DESIRE. 

truths  that  inspired  and  made  men  of  them, 
and  the  canvasser  who  passes  by  or  in  any 
way  whatsoever  slights  any  one  of  these  fam- 
ilies is  often  actually  wronging  the  very  ones 
whom  he  may  think  he  is  benefitting. 

Some  of  the  most  appreciative  letters  we 
have  ever  received  at  the  office  of  publication, 
have  come  from  just  such  homes  of  poverty. 
Women  who  scrubbed  and  washed,  have  writ- 
ten us  that  they  would  sooner  deny  their  chil- 
dren a  bag  of  flour,  than  to  have  denied  thorn 
the  benefits  and  blessings  which  they  secured 
from  the  reading  of  "What  A  Young  Boy 
Ought  To  Know"  and  "What  A  Young  Girl 
Ought  To  Know/'  and  from  the  books  to 
young  men  and  young  women.  We  appeal 
both  to  your  sense  and  your  sentiment.  If 
these  books  are  a  benefaction  and  a  blessing 
to  humanity  then  their  benefits  cannot  be  de- 
nied to  the  poor  without  doing  them  great 
wrong.  When  you  take  their  dollar  and  give 
them  one  of  these  books  you  are  giving  them 
what  in  most  instances  is  worth  ten  times  as 
much  as  the  amount  they  pay.  If  a  circus  or 
minstrel  show  were  to  come  to  town  every 
member  in  many  of  these  families  would  have 
twenty-five,  fifty  cents,  or  a  dollar  to  spend, 
and  for  that  which  is  no  benefit.  They  need 
these  books,  and  these  books  will  be  a  bless- 
ing to  them  in  every  way,  and  it  is  your  duty 
to  make  them  appreciate  this  fact.  You  do 
them  great  injustice  if  you  think  they  are  too 
poor  to  purchase. 


CREATING  DESIRE.  97 

476.  Defeating  Desire.— The  canvasser  who 
would  successfully  create  in  the  mind  of  his 
customer  the  desire  to  possess  the  books  must 
studiously  guard  against  those  influences  which 
defeat  desire.     A  bad  breath,  dirty  collar  or 
cuffs,   garments   that   are   soiled   with  grease 
spots  or  unkempt  and  uncared  for  in  appear- 
ance, bodily  odors  that  suggest  the  need  of  a 
bath,  rudeness,  irritability,  a  boisterous  man- 
ner and  uncontrolled  voice,  dirty  nails  with 
untidy  hands  and  unshaven  face,  beard  or  hair 
neglected  and  untrimmed — these  and  scores  of 
other  things  which  suggest  themselves  to  the 
mind  of  any  thoughtful  person  may  prejudice 
the  customer  and  prevent  even  the  possibility 
of  successfully  presenting  the  books  for  their 
consideration.     Every   canvasser  who  is   not 
succeeding  as  he  desires,  and  many  who  are, 
should   frequently   sit   down  with  themselves 
and  consider  by  what  methods  they  are  de- 
feating themselves. 

477.  Self -Depreciation. — Some     canvassers 
defeat  themselves  by  self-depreciation.    When 
in   the  presence  of  professional  and  learned 
people,  and  oftentimes  when  in  the  presence 
of  those  who  have  only  an  ordinary  education 
but  who  are  cultured   and  refined,  they  feel 
that  they  are  unfitted  to  influence  those  who 
are  manifestly  their  superiors.     Such  a  feel- 
ing or  sense  of  personal  lack  is  a  great  mistake. 
No  person  however  learned  is  the  superior  of 
other  persons  in  every  respect.    They  may  be 
superior  in  some  respects,  or  even  in  many 


98  CREATING  DESIRE. 

but  not  in  all  respects.  If  you  were  to  meet 
the  President  of  the  United  States  for  the  pur- 
pose of  canvassing  him  for  the  Purity  Books 
in  the  Self  and  Sex  Series,  if  you  understand 
your  books,  appreciate  their  value  and  know 
how  to  present  them  for  his  consideration  you 
are  in  that  respect  his  superior.  Upon  the 
subject  in  hand  the  canvasser  should  be  the  su- 
perior of  any  and  every  person,  both  men  and 
women  whom  he  meets,  and  with  such  super- 
iority in  the  matter  presented  for  mutual  con- 
sideration the  canvasser  should  not  depreciate 
but  appreciate  himself.  He  should  command 
himself  and  all  of  his  resources  upon  the  sub- 
ject in  hand,  and  he  will  demonstrate  his  su- 
periority to  others  and  also  to  himself,  and 
even  if  he  should  fail  to  secure  an  order,  he 
will  be  conscious  of  the  superior  manner  in 
which  he  has  presented  his  cause  and  influ- 
enced the  mind  of  his  auditor. 

478.  Influencing   all   Classes. — One   of   the 
greatest  personal  benefits  of  canvassing  is  that 
you  will  meet  all  classes,  will  appreciate  where- 
in they  differ,  and  at  the  same  time  discover 
that    all   are   human,    and    consequently    very 
much  alike.    Neglect  no  class,  neither  high  nor 
low,  learned  or  unlearned,  rich  or  poor.    Be  at 
ease  in  the  presence  of  all,  command  their  re- 
spect, mould  and  fashion  their  thought  con- 
cerning your  books,   so  that   they   will   prize 
them  as  you  do,  and  as  they  are  prized  by  the 
best  of  people  around  the  world. 

479.  Meet  People  on  Their  Level. — People 


CREATING  DESIRE.  99 

are  interested  in  the  subjects  which  relate  to 
their  own  occupation.  Know  all  you  can 
about  every  branch  of  business  so  as  to  meet 
persons  of  different  occupations  upon  their  own 
plane.  Adapt  your  manner,  your  thought,  your 
speech  to  the  understanding  and  conditions  of 
each  class.  Talk  to  them  of  the  things  in  which 
they  are  interested.  Draw  your  illustrations 
from  their  own  field  of  thought.  Study  to  be 
entertaining.  Surprise  them  with  your  ac- 
quaintance with  the  things  in  which  they  are 
least  acquainted  and  most  interested.  Never 
ignore  the  children,  always  take  notice  of  them 
when  you  enter  a  home,  speak  to  them,  shake 
hands  with  them,  say  something  to  their  edifi- 
cation. Remember  that  a  mother  is  always 
proud  of  her  children.  All  mothers  can  be 
influenced  through  their  children  as  in  no 
other  way. 

480.  Proceed  Orderly. — The  human  mind  is 
so  constituted  that  it  can  deal  with  but  one 
thing  at  a  time.  Secure  attention,  begin  at  the 
beginning,  proceed  orderly,  advance  step  by 
step.  Do  not  allow  interruptions,  tactfully 
evade  all  unimportant  questions.  Feel  and  im- 
press the  importance  of  the  books  so  deeply 
that  all  questions,  all  doubts,  all  objection  will 
vanish.  Go  steadily  forward.  If  you  surpass 
yourself,  and  so  deeply  impress  your  customer 
that  he  is  ready  to  order  before  you  are  one- 
third  through  your  canvass,  "clinch  the  nail 
on  the  other  side;"  "make  the  weld  while  the 
iron  is  hot."  If  you  keep  on  describing  the 


100  CREATING  DESIRE. 

books  after  you  have  thoroughly  aroused  his 
interest  he  may  cool  off  and  you  may  lose  the 
order.  If  you  are  inspired  by  your  subject  and 
have  inspired  your  customer,  he  will  sometimes 
say,  "I  will  take  a  copy"  or  "I  will  put  my 
name  down"  before  you  are  half  ready  to  ask 
him.  Thank  him  and  at  once  take  the  com- 
panion book,  show  the  relation  between  the 
two,  and  so  on  until  the  connection  is  shown 
between  the  eight.  Show  him  the  importn 
of  having  the  entire  set  of  books  as  a  matter 
of  reference  in  his  library,  the  important  in- 
fluence they  will  have  upon  the  minds  of  his 
children,  that  if  his  sons  and  daughters  de- 
sire to  know  anything  along  these  lines  they 
will  have  a  treasure-house  where  they  can  ob- 
tain the  information  and  in  a  pure,  clean  way. 
The  questions  are  natural,  and  their  inquiries 
should  be  answered  in  a  sacred  way. 

Sometimes  the  customer,  because  he  is  not 
interested,  asks  the  canvasser  the  price  of  the 
books.  Unless  the  canvasser  is  absolutely  sure 
that  he  is  ready  to  subscribe,  he  should  evade 
the  question,  or  go  straight-forward  with  his 
canvass,  as  if  he  had  not  heard  it.  Some  times 
it  might  be  well  to  respond:  "That  is  one 
beauty  of  our  books.  The  publishers  have 
placed  the  price  so  low  that  they  are  within 
the  reach  of  all."  Then  go  right  on  with  the 
canvass. 

481.  How  to  Do  It.— After  all  that  has 
been  said  the  canvasser  still  desires  to  ask  the 


CREATING  DESIRE.  101 

great  central  question,  "How  shall  I  create 
the  desire  ?M  In  this  book  of  instructions  we 
have  brought  together  many  scores  of  princi- 
ples and  hundreds  of  suggestions,  all  of  which 
are  important  and  many  absolutely  indispen- 
sable to  success.  All  of  these  contribute  and 
lead  up  to  the  great  central  thought  of  cre- 
ating in  the  mind  of  the  customer  the  desire 
to  possess  the  books.  At  the  same  time  the 
canvasser  at  this  important  point  in  his  in- 
struction still  asks  the  question,  "How  to  cre- 
ate the  desire. ' '  We  can  only  answer  this  un- 
answerable question  by  illustration. 

This  book  of  instruction  is  like  a  well-equip- 
ped carpenter  shop.  It  has  saws  of  every  kind, 
cross-cut  saws,  rip  saws,  buzz  saws,  scroll 
saws,  and  every  other  kind  of  a  saw.  It  has 
planes  of  all  kinds,  rules  and  squares,  gimlets 
and  augers,  patterns  of  every  variety,  drafts 
and  drawings  of  every  description,  and  the 
yard  outside  is  filled  with  lumber  of  every  va- 
riety, pine  and  hemlock,  hickory  and  mahog- 
any, chestnut  and  oak,  white  pine  and  black 
walnut,  absolutely  not  wanting  a  single  variety 
of  choicest  material  from  all  the  forests  in  the 
world,  and  yet  a  man  may  stand  in  the  midst 
of  this  all,  and  ask,  after  years  devoted  to  the 
acquisition  of  his  trade,  how  to  construct  a 
house,  how  to  build  a  palace,  how  to  make  fur- 
niture and  every  variety  of  thing  which  should 
come  from  a  shop  equipped  as  this  is. 

It  is  easy  to  understand  that  there  is  just  one 
equipment  which  this  shop  still  lacks,  namely, 
the  MAN — a  man  who  has  the  character,  the 


102  CREATING  DESIRE. 

ingenuity,  the  genius,  the  personality  to  put 
life  into  this  entire  establishment.  Without 
that  man,  all  this  machinery,  all  this  equipment 
and  this  accumulation  of  materials  has  no 
value.  With  this  man  added,  these  things  an1 
invaluable,  and  the  degree  of  their  val 
termined,  not  by  the  things  themselves,  their 
value  remains  unchanged,  but  is  determined  by 
the  man  himself. 

The  same  principle  applies  to  the  selling  of 
the  books  in  the  Self  and  Sex  Series.  It  is  the 
same  in  every  occupation,  profession  and  walk 
of  life.  It  is  the  grasping  of  the  -jn  ut  prin- 
ciples, and  incorporating  them  in  ourselves, 
making  them  part  of  our  own  being  that  con- 
stitutes a  great  man.  In  so  far  as  men  fail  to 
do  this,  they  remain  mean  and  miserable,  or 
rise  only  to  the  level  of  the  great  mass  of  ordi- 
nary men  and  women. 

Even  among  great  men,  there  are  great  dif- 
ferences Luther  was  different  from  Melaneh- 
thon,  Calvin  from  Knox,  and  Whitfield  from 
Wesley.  Beecher,  Spurgeon  and  Talmage  were 
all  great  preachers,  but  as  between  themselves, 
they  were  as  different  as  darkness  from  day- 
light. The  greatness  of  each  consisted  in  per- 
sonal characteristics  which  are  not  possessed 
by  any  one  of  the  others.  It  was  this  that 
constituted  his  individuality,  his  personality. 
It  is  the  same  among  statesmen,  among  lawyers, 
among  physicians  and  great  men  of  every  class. 
They  differ  because  of  individuality  and  per- 
sonality. If  it  were  not  for  this  individuality 
and  personality  the  graduates  of  each  school 


CREATING  DESIRE.  103 

of  theology,  law  and  medicine  would  all  be 
alike,  the  same  as  the  furniture  or  chairs  or 
any  other  product  from  the  same  mill. 

The  principle  is  the  same  in  canvassing.  One 
canvasser  is  different  from  another  because  of 
his  personality,  his  individuality,  and  it  is  be- 
cause of  this  individuality  and  personality  that 
it  is  impossible  to  tell  anyone  just  how  to  cre- 
ate in  the  mind  of  the  customer  the  desire 
which  will  secure  for  the  canvasser  the  order 
which  he  seeks.  No  two  canvassers  will  can- 
vass the  same  person  in  the  same  way.  If  they 
were  both  to  attempt  to  do  it  after  the  same  set 
pattern,  or  just  as  some  other  successful  can- 
vasser has  done  it,  both  would  measurably  fail. 
Their  methods  must  be  perfectly  fitted  to  their 
own  mental  constitution  and  to  that  of  no- 
body else.  In  their  canvass  they  must  be  them- 
selves. They  must  be  natural,  or  they  will  not 
be  effective.  Just  how  to  adapt  all  these  prin- 
ciples, suggestions  and  instruction  to  his  own 
use,  how  to  comprehend,  appropriate  and  make 
this  book  of  instructions  part  of  his  very  self, 
the  same  as  he  digests,  appropriates  and  makes 
part  of  himself  the  great  nourishing  principles 
in  the  food  which  he  eats,  it  would  be  impossi- 
ble to  tell.  Just  so  is  each  canvasser  to  make 
this  book  of  instruction  and  all  the  helps  which 
are  furnished  by  the  publisher  part  and  parcel 
of  his  own  individuality,  personality  and  suc- 
cessful self. 

It  is  for  just  this  reason  that  we  have  in- 
sisted again  and  again  throughout  these  pages 
upon  constant  and  continued  study  of  the 


104  CREATING  DESIRE. 

principles  here  set  forth  by  each  canvasser. 
No  college  student  would  think  of  taking  a 
text-book  the  size  of  this  book  of  instruction, 
and  becoming  master  of  it  by  simply  spending 
one  or  two  hours  in  reading  it.  A  student  de- 
votes one  or  two  hours  daily,  sometimes  for  an 
entire  year  to  the  mastery  of  the  principles  and 
instruction  of  a  book  of  not  one-half  the  im- 
portance or  value  of  the  book  you  hold  in  your 
hand.  Not  only  your  success  as  a  canvasser, 
but  your  success  in  whatever  profession  or  oc- 
cupation you  may  outer  upon  in  life  will  be 
dependent  upon  the  mastery  of  the  great  prin- 
ciples which  are  enunciated  in  this  book.  The 
man  who  masters  this  book  of  instruction  and 
makes  these  principles  part  of  himself  can 
succeed  in  any  business  he  undertakes. 

482.  Important  Helps. — In  creating  desire 
the  canvasser  has  many  helps.  When  opening 
the  books  and  showing  the  portraits  of  the 
authors  he  should  be  thoroughly  acquainted 
with  the  main  facts  concerning  Dr.  Stall,  Dr. 
Mary  Wood-Allen  and  Dr.  Emma  F.  A.  Drake, 
found  in  the  later  pages  of  this  book  of  in- 
struction. 

The  commendations  in  the  front  of  the  book 
are  from  not  only  prominent,  but  from  many 
of  the  most  eminent  men  and  women  in  this 
and  other  lands.  When  pointing  out  a  single 
choice  sentence  from  these  commendations  call 
attention  to  the  portraits,  and  be  able  to  tell 
the  customer  something  about  the  eminent  per- 
son at  whose  portrait  he  is  looking. 


CREATING  DESIRE.  105 

When  you  turn  to  the  table  of  contents 
know  your  customer,  and  know  your  book  so 
as  to  be  able  to  call  attention  to  such  portions 
as  would  be  best  suited  to  interest  the  per- 
sons you  are  canvassing.  If  you  point  out 
certain  paragraphs  in  the  book  itself,  use  the 
same  tact  and  wisdom. 

Fix  clearly  in  your  mind  wherein  these  books 
differ  from  any  other  books  upon  the  subject 
of  sex  ever  written : 

1.  The  authors  have  constantly  kept  in  mind 
the  thought  which  must  have  been  in  the  mind 
of  the  Creator  when  He  created  man  and  wo- 
man and  constituted  them  as  He  did. 

2.  The  authors  have  dealt  with  purity,  and 
not  with  impurity.    With  the  normal,  and  not 
with  the  abnormal  man  and  woman. 

3.  The  subjects  suited  to  men  and  women  in 
different  periods  of  life  are  in  separate  vol- 
umes, and  yet  there  is  nothing  in  any  one  of  the 
books  to  men  which  may  not  je  read  with  per- 
fect  propriety  by  any  woman,   and  there  is 
nothing  in  any  of  the  books  to  women  which 
may  not  properly  be  read  by  men.     Indeed, 
men  ought  to  read  not  only  the  books  addressed 
to  men,  but  also  those  addressed  to  women, 
and  women  ought  to  read  not  only  the  books 
addressed  to  women,  but  also  those  addressed 
to  men. 

Persons  who  would  be  intelligent  should  be 
appealed  to  upon  the  importance  of  having  the 
entire  series  in  their  home  as  permanent  books 
of  reference. 

A  strong  argument  with  parents  is  the  en- 


106  CREATING  DESIRE. 

couragement,  inspiration  and  help  these  books 
will  be  to  their  children.  They  will  make  their 
boys  and  girls  intelligent,  and  save  them  from 
the  defilement  of  the  school  and  the  street. 
The  books  to  young  men  and  young  women 
will  safeguard  and  save  their  sons  and  daugh- 
ters, and  no  young  man  or  young  woman  in 
the  family  should  be  permitted  to  marry  until 
they  have  read  copies  of  both  "Young  Hus- 
band" and  "Young  Wife. " 

No  person  of  mature  years,  whether  married 
or  unmarried,  can  afford  to  be  without  copies 
of  "Young  Husband"  and  "Young  AY 
and  from  the  very  beginning,  both  men  and 
women  ought  to  look  forward  to  the  period  of 
middle  life  and  understand  the  significance  of 
the  physical  changes  which  await  at  that  time. 
The  adolescence  of  later  life  is  as  important  to 
the  man  and  the  woman  as  the  adolescence  of 
childhood  to  the  growing  boy  and  girl.  Peo- 
ple are  laboring  and  struggling  to  make  pro- 
visions for  the  later  years,  and  such  a  pro- 
vision ought  to  consist  not  simply  in  money, 
but  in  information,  in  intelligence,  in  wisdom. 


SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION.        107 

CHAPTER  IX. 
SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION. 

483.  The  Critical  Moment.— If  the  canvas- 
ser has  not  failed  in  creating  the  desire,  he 
will  not  fail  in  securing  the  subscription.  If 
he  has  failed  in  sizing  up  his  customer,  in 
presenting  the  merits  of  the  books;  if  he  has 
blundered  anywhere  in  the  canvass  itself,  if 
he  has  failed  to  impress  his  customer  so  deeply 
that  he  has  not  overcome  all  objections  and 
caused  the  customer  to  desire  the  books  more 
than  he  desires  the  money  which  he  will  pay 
for  them,  then  the  moment  of  closing  the  can- 
vass and  securing  the  subscription  is  a  critical 
moment.  If  he  has  succeeded  thoroughly  in 
creating  the  desire,  the  moment  of  closing  the 
subscription  is  not  a  critical  moment  at  all. 
The  subscription  will  come  as  a  matter  of 
course.  It  will  frequently  be  offered  without 
asking  for  it. 

In  most  instances,  however,  the  closing  of 
the  canvass  is  measurably  critical.  There  is 
a  psychological  moment,  and  just  when  that 
psychological  moment  arrives  the  canvasser 
must  be  quick  to  discover.  If  the  customer  is 
ready  to  subscribe  when  the  canvasser  is  not 
half  through  with  his  canvass,  that  is  the  in- 
stant to  conclude  the  canvass  and  secure  the 
subscription.  Accept  the  subscription  at  any 


108        SECURINO  THE  SUBSCRIPTION. 

moment  you  can  secure  it,  but  do  not  mistake, 
and  never  ask  for  it  until  you  are  reasonably 
sure.  During  your  canvass  you  may  ask  many 
questions,  and  oftentimes  to  great  advantage, 
but  never  ask  a  question  which  could  be  an- 
swered by  "No."  If  when  seeking  to  con- 
clude the  canvass  you  discover  that  a  negative 
is  probable,  evade  the  issue.  No  canvasser 
can  show  up  one-tenth  of  the  good  points  in 
the  book  in  a  single  canvass  and  when  the  cus- 
tomer shows  signs  of  faltering,  and  the  can- 
vasser recognizes  that  he  is  likely  to  fail,  then 
he  should  start  anew  to  call  attention  to  other 
good  points  of  the  book.  If  you  have  chosen 
the  book  in  the  series  most  suitable  to  your 
customer,  start  in  again  along  new  lines  to  re- 
canvass.  Do  not  hesitate,  do  not  waver,  do 
not  be  discouraged,  be  hopeful,  be  confident. 
You  must  labor  with  your  customer  for  his  own 
good.  If  it  is  a  parent  show  him  that  the 
possession  of  the  knowledge  contained  in  the 
book  is  essential  to  every  intelligent  person, 
and  that  it  is  a  duty  which  parents  owe  to 
their  children  and  family  to  supply  them  with 
the  books. 

484.  Reserve  Power. — Even  at  the  conclu- 
sion of  a  splendid  canvass  there  may  be  hesi- 
tation. The  customer  may  be  interested,  but 
hardly  thinks  he  can  afford  it.  If  he  falters, 
you  must  not.  In  such  a  moment  you  must  be 
supreme.  If  you  have  full  command  of  your 
books  and  of  yourself,  you  will  be  likely  to 
have  command  of  your  customer,  and  also  of 


SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION.        109 

the  subscription.  This  is  the  moment  for  the 
use  of  reserve  power.  No  good  general  has  all 
his  forces  in  the  field  at  the  beginning  of  an 
engagement.  He  always  has  a  large  force  in 
reserve.  These  are  never  called  into  action 
unless  necessity  requires. 

If  the  canvasser  is  full  of  the  books,  he  al- 
ways has  an  array  of  reserve  facts  at  his  com- 
mand. He  can  show  up  new  points.  Call  at- 
tention to  new  features,  reimpress  the  argu- 
ments which  have  already  shown  themselves 
as  most  influential. 

There  are  a  number  of  things  which  each 
canvasser  would  do  well  to  hold  in  reserve. 
Such  as  the  copies  of  the  translations  printed 
on  the  opening  pages,  just  back  of  the  por- 
traits and  commendations.  He  can  call  atten- 
tion to  the  press  notices  in  the  closing  pages 
of  the  book.  He  can  point  out  press  notices  in 
particular  papers,  and  probably  the  literary, 
educational  and  religious  periodicals  with 
which  the  person  is  well  acquainted.  He  can 
call  attention  to  the  array  of  names  of  emi- 
nent persons  who  have  endorsed  the  entire 
series.  He  can  call  attention  to  the  long  list 
of  names  of  prominent  people  in  the  customer's 
own  city  and  community  who  have  already 
subscribed.  These  and  many  other  resources 
are  at  the  command  of  the  canvasser. 

With  persons  of  even  modest  prominence  in 
the  community  it  is  proper  to  suggest  that  you 
desire  their  personal  influence  in  this  great 
campaign.  That  their  name  will  be  helpful  to 
you  in  this  work,  that  it  will  influence  others 


110        SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION. 

for  their  good,  both  in  the  neighborhood  and  in 
adjacent  towns.     That  they  will  never  TCL 
having  placed  the  book  in  their  library,  and 
that  its  value  cannot  be  measured  by  money 
alone. 

Always  preserve  your  dignity.  Do  not  place 
the  securing  of  the  subscription  upon  the  ba- 
sis of  charity.  You  may  seek  to  persuade,  but 
do  not  coax.  You  are  not  a  "beggar,"  but  a 
benefactor.  You  are  giving  people  wha- 
worth  many  times  the  price  they  pay,  and  in 
many  instances  worth  thousands  of  times  tbe 
dollar  they  invest.  In  very  many  instances  it 
will  prove  the  best  investment  the  purchasers 
have  ever  made  or  ever  will  make. 

485.  A  Final  "No/1— Do  not  be  too  easily 
put  off.  Remember  the  "No"  is  not  always 
the  final  answer.  In  canvassing,  as  in  court- 
ship, no  is  often  only  another  form  for  yes. 
Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,  said  no  to  Lord  Darn- 
ley,  went  home  and  immediately  began  making 
preparations  for  the  wedding.  Many  orders 
are  taken  after  the  customer  had  said  "No"  a 
half  dozen  times. 

If,  however,  it  is  possible,  avoid  a  definite 
and  final  "No."  After  the  customer  has 
positively  said  no,  you  may  in  many  instances, 
succeed  in  making  him  desire  to  possess  the 
book  ever  so  much  but  he  will  stand  firm  be- 
cause he  does  not  like  to  seem  to  change  his 
mind.  He  will  not  go  back  on  his  word.  Re- 
member that  you  cannot  drive  people.  You  can 
lead  them,  you  can  convince  them,  you  can  per- 


SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION.        Ill 

suade  them,  but  you  cannot  drive  them.  With 
most  people  no  does  not  mean  no.  With  some 
people  no  means  no,  and  it  does  not  mean  any- 
thing else,  and  when  you  get  no  from  a  person 
of  that  kind,  the  only  way  to  get  him  to  change 
his  mind  is  to  accept  his  no  so  instantly  and 
so  completely  that  you  surprise  him.  Begin  to 
talk  immediately  about  something  else.  Draw 
him  into  conversation  upon  some  subject  in 
which  he  is  personally  interested,  and  two 
chances  out  of  three,  before  you  leave  him  you 
will  secure  his  subscription,  or  at  least  make 
him  sorry  that  he  did  not  subscribe.  You  will 
at  least  make  a  friend  of  him,  and  possibly  he 
will  give  you  the  names  of  some  of  his  ac- 
quaintances with  a  card  of  recommendation  to 
them. 

486.  Asking  Questions. — It  is  often  both 
good  and  helpful  to  ask  questions  during  your 
canvass.  This  method  may  be  made  to  add 
emphasis  to  what  you  say.  It  will  help  you 
to  discover  the  "temper"  of  your  customer. 
It  may  be  made  to  prepare  the  way  for  the 
final  "Yes"  which  you  seek.  "If  you  will 
watch  yourself,  you  can  secure  such  approvals 
at  the  close  of  almost  every  paragraph  you 
read  or  every  statement  you  make.  For  ex- 
ample, ' Isn't  that  good?'  ' Every  person  ought 
to  hear  that.'  < That  is  true,  isn't  it?'  a  am 
sure  you  like  that.'  'You  would  like  your 
children  to  know  that,  wouldn't  you?'  'Don't 
you  think  that  would  be  good  for  your  child?' 
'When  such  persons  speak  to  us  we  should  lis- 


112        SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION. 

ten,  shouldn't  we?'  etc.  After  the  persons 
canvassed  thus  respond  to  several  of  your  sug- 
gestions, it  is  a  much  easier  matter  for  them 
to  say,  'When  do  you  deliver?'  Tell  them,  and 
close  right  up  by  suggesting,  'Guess  that  time 
will  suit  you  all  right,'  Say  'thank  you'  and 
close  the  order  without  another  word.  Deter- 
mine all  other  matters  after  the  name  has  been 
written  in  your  book.  Increase  the  order  until 
it  includes  as  many  of  the  series  a*  they  can 
be  induced  to  buy,  then  complete  the  record  in 
your  guarantee  order  book,  saying  that  this  is 
necessary  in  order  to  complete  your  report  to 
the  company  and  to  keep  the  records  straight, 
and  to  guarantee  that  the  books  delivered  will 
be  just  like  the  samples  shown.  Ask  them  for 
the  names  of  friends  and  neighbors  who  ought 
to  have  the  books.  Write  these  names  in  your 
blank  book  as  previously  suggested.  Thus  you 
will  find  the  interest  in  your  books  growing 
and  your  field  constantly  becoming  more  pro- 
lific."—^.) 

487.  One  Method  of  Appeal.— "  People  are 
all  alike.  They  seem  to  manifest  the  greatest 
differences,  yet  as  you  come  to  know  them 
more  intimately  they  are  like  brothers  and  sis- 
ters— all  of  one  blood.  There  is  a  language 
common  to  all.  They  are  all  stirred  by  the 
same  emotions,  though  some  more  deeply  than 
others.  The  words  mother,  father,  your  son, 
your  daughter,  my  child,  my  brother,  my  sis- 
ter, have  a  meaning  all  their  own,  without  re- 
gard to  race  or  nationality. 


SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION.        113 

"Give  first  your  intelligent  reasons  why  the 
person  canvassed  should  order  your  books,  then 
follow  your  reasoning  with  an  appeal  to  the 
human  heart,  which  you  may  impress  by  urg- 
ing them  to  do  their  duty,  Hake  advantage  of 
the  present  opportunity, '  <  avail  yourself  of  this 
privilege/  'get  the  books  while  you  can/  'pro- 
cure them  now  when  they  will  do  the  most 
good, — you  know  your  boy  will  soon  be  grown 
up/  etc. 

"It  is  your  business  to  draw  and  center  their 
thoughts  on  the  matter  of  interest  to  their 
hearts.  This  is  the  climax  of  canvassing  for 
this  class  of  books.  It  is  natural  for  people 
to  want  to  do  what  they  can  for  the  ones  they 
love.  You  must  recognize  the  relationships 
above  indicated  and  the  consequent  emotion  of 
the  human  heart  in  that  direction  if  you  ex- 
pect to  succeed.  All  the  arguments  you  can 
command  may  be  centered  here." — (K) 

488.  Conditional  Orders. — All  orders  taken 
should  be  unconditional  if  possible.  Occa- 
sionally a  customer,  because  of  being  thor- 
oughly conscientious  is  unwilling  to  place  a 
positive  order,  but  will  place  a  conditional  or- 
der, dependent  upon  the  recovery  of  some  mem- 
ber of  the  family  from  sickness,  the  securing 
of  employment  or  some  other  reasonable  con- 
dition, and  under  such  circumstances  we  have 
no  objection  to  the  canvasser  accepting  the 
conditional  subscription.  Such  subscriptions, 
however,  should  not  be  included  in  the  weekly 
report.  That  summary  is  intended  to  include 
only  positive  and  unconditional  orders. 


114        SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION. 

Some  publishing  houses  advise  their  canvas- 
sers to  secure  names  of  prominent  persons  upon 
their  subscription  list  with  the  understanding 
that  no  books  are  to  be  delivered.  "Such 
names  are  only  intended  to  influence  others  to 
become  subscribers. "  We  regard  such  a  meth- 
od as  dishonest,  because  it  is  an  attempt  to  se- 
cure business  under  false  pretences.  Such  a 
method  would  compromise  both  your  publisher 
and  yourself. 

489.  Special   Subscription  List. — Occasion- 
ally you  will  find  persons  who  desire  the  books 
but  do  not  wish  their  names  placed  in  a  list 
which  is  to  be  shown  to  others.     The  young 
man  who  expects  soon  to  marry  usually  desires 
"What  A  Young  Husband  Ought  To  Know" 
and  "What  A  Young  Wife  Ought  To  Know," 
but  he  does  not  want  anybody  to  know  that  he 
has  subscribed  for  these  books.    His  feeling  is 
perfectly   natural,    and    should    be   respected. 
The  same  is  true  also  of  young  women,  they 
will   also  frequently  subscribe  for  several  of 
the  books  in  the  series,  but  they  do  not  wish 
everybody  to  know  that  they  have  done  so.    It 
is  easy  to  have  a  special  list  of  names  which  is 
not   placed   constantly   upon   exhibition.     Al- 
ways accommodate  yourself  to  the  wishes  of 
such  persons.    You  may  even  anticipate  such  a 
feeling  and  suggest  that  their  names  will  be 
placed  in  a  separate  list,  and  that  they  will 
not  be  seen  by  other  persons. 

490.  Evasive  Promises. — Persons  oftentimes 


SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION.        115 

seek  to  evade  the  canvasser  by  asking  for  his 
name  and  post  office  address,  suggesting  that 
they  will  let  him  know  by  postal,  or  will  send 
him  a  definite  order  later  on.  Out  of  100  prom- 
ises of  this  character  a  canvasser  is  not  likely 
to  receive  a  single  communication  of  any  sort, 
much  less  an  order.  There  is  only  one  way  to 
secure  the  order  and  that  is  to  secure  it  while 
you  are  present.  If  you  fail  to  secure  the  or- 
der at  the  time,  you  may  regard  your  failure  as 
complete.  The  only  way  to  confirm  a  deferred 
subscription  is  to  call  personally  again  a  little 
later  on. 

491.  Fixing  Date  of  Delivery. — The  question 
of  the  date  of  delivery  and  payment  is  often 
influential  in  determining  the  question  of  sub- 
scription. In  agricultural  communities  a  date 
when  grain  is  usually  sold,  when  apples  are 
picked,  when  potatoes  are  sent  to  market,  when 
sheep  are  sheared,  the  lambs  sold,  the  cotton 
picked  and  sold,  the  turkeys  or  the  poultry  sent 
to  market — periods  such  as  these  may  be  well 
chosen  as  the  date  for  delivery. 

In  manufacturing  centres  the  question  of 
"  pay-day "  is  all  important.  If  the  date  of 
delivery  can  be  fixed  for  the  evening  of  pay- 
day, or  the  day  following,  or  at  a  period  not 
later  than  a  couple  of  days  after  the  pay-day, 
it  is  the  best.  After  the  subscription  is  se- 
cured chat  pleasantly  for  a  few  moments  in  an 
agreeable  and  entertaining  manner.  By  this 
means  you  may  gain  the  respect  and  esteem  of 
the  person  and  prepare  the  way  for  a  cordial 


116        SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION. 

welcome  for  both  yourself  and  the  books  when 
the  day  of  delivery  comes.  It  might  be  well 
also  to  suggest  to  the  person  the  importance 
of  having  the  money  ready  when  you  call,  as 
you  will  be  hurried  and  they  will  thus  be  as- 
sisting you  to  save  your  time. 

Where  persons  are  comfortably  fixed  they 
frequently  desire  their  books  immediately,  and 
if  the  canvasser  can  arrange  to  deliver  them 
when  he  returns  to  that  same  neighborhood  in 
the  after  part  of  the  day  or  the  day  following, 
it  may  be  agreeable  to  the  customer  and  ad- 
vantageous to  the  canvasser.  When  taking  the 
order  it  might  be  well  to  say,  "I  can  deliver 
this  book  next  Saturday.  Will  that  be  soon 
enough  I M  By  using  such  portions  of  Saturday 
as  are  unpropitious  for  canvassing,  and  other 
unpropitious  hours  during  the  week,  the  can- 
vasser will  be  enabled  to  utilize  his  time  to  the 
best  advantage. 

It  is  never  well  for  a  canvasser  to  encumber 
himself  with  books  for  which  he  has  not  al- 
ready secured  orders.  Such  books  may  become 
an  impediment  to  him  in  his  movements,  are 
likely  to  become  soiled  and  "  shop-worn, "  and 
if  he  is  overtaken  by  discouragement  or  de- 
spondency, the  fact  that  he  has  a  quantity  of 
books  on  hand  is  likely  to  augment  his  dejected 
condition. 

Publishers  generally  advise  canvassers  to 
postpone  the  day  of  delivery  for  a  consider- 
able period  so  as  to  enable  persons  to  obtain 
and  have  the  money  ready;  and  also  because 
many  persons  will  the  more  readily  assume  ob- 


SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION.        117 

ligations  which  do  not  mature  for  several 
weeks,  and  further  because  the  canvasser  can 
thus  order  his  books  all  at  one  time  and  the 
shipment  can  be  made  by  freight  at  a  much  less 
cost. 

These  are  all  good  reasons,  but  canvassers 
for  our  books  find  strong  arguments  upon  the 
other  side  also.  Many  people  who  subscribe  for 
our  books  earnestly  desire  them,  and  would 
like  to  secure  them  as  early  as  possible.  Many 
others  also  have  the  money  ready  and  would 
be  just  as  willing  to  receive  the  books  in  a  day 
or  two.  With  some,  a  date  far  in  the  future 
causes  them  to  lose  their  interest  in  the  books 
before  the  day  of  delivery.  Some  canvassers 
find  that  persons  who  receive  their  books 
promptly,  read  them,  become  enthusiastic,  and 
exert  a  very  helpful  influence  in  the  commun- 
ity, and  thus  induce  additional  subscriptions 
which  the  canvasser  would  not  otherwise  se- 
cure. 

There  are  good  reasons  for  a  deferred  day  of 
delivery,  but  where  it  is  perfectly  convenient 
for  canvassers  to  fill  orders  promptly,  it  is  us- 
ually to  their  advantage  to  do  so.  It  is  impor- 
tant, however,  to  warn  canvassers  against  the 
disadvantages  of  loading  themselves  with  books 
before  the  orders  have  been  secured.  Excep- 
tions may  exist,  where  the  canvasser  is  not  far 
removed  from  the  publisher,  where  he  has  es- 
tablished himself  for  a  settled  canvass  of  a 
considerable  period,  and  where  the  canvasser 
has  the  money  at  command  so  that  he  can  af- 
ford to  have  the  books  on  hand  for  immediate 
delivery. 


118        SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION. 

When  ordering  books  for  a  special  day  of 
delivery  always  allow  sufficient  time  for  the 
books  to  reach  you,  as  usually  there  is  some 
considerable  delay  in  the  handling  of  freight. 

492.  Making  the  Subscriptions  Binding.— 
Where  the  purchaser  subscribes  his  name  in  the 
order  book  it  constitutes  a  contract  between 
the  canvasser  and  the  subscriber,  and  is  recog- 
nized as  such  by  every  honorable  man  or 
woman  and  no  person  who  values  his  or  her 
reputation  for  honest  or  fair  dealing  will  ever 
refuse  to  receive  and  pay  for  the  book  or  books 
subscribed  and  signed  for  in  the  order  book. 
He  cannot  afford  to  do  so. 

The  use  of  such  an  order  book  makes  the 
work  of  delivery  more  expeditious.  Some  peo- 
ple, however,  decline  to  sign  their  names  to  a 
document  of  any  kind  that  is  to  be  carried 
away  by  an  agent.  Swindlers  and  impostors 
have  created  this  false  prejudice  airainst  con- 
tracts as  between  honest  persons,  and  the  can- 
vasser should  not  allow  an  inflexible  rule  to 
prevent  him  in  securing  such  exceptional  sub- 
scriptions. In  such  cases  the  subscription  can 
be  entered  without  the  purchaser's  signature  to 
the  order. 

After  securing  the  subscription,  canva- 
should  fill  up  the  guarantee  that  the  books 
shall  be  like  the  samples  shown  and  in  every 
respect  as  represented,  and  leave  the  same  with 
the  subscriber  as  a  guarantee  against  any  de- 
ception upon  the  part  of  the  canvasser.  It  will 
also  serve  them  as  a  reminder  of  the  number 


SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION.        119 

of  books  they  ordered,  date  of  delivery  and 
amount  to  be  paid. 

493.  Transcribing  Subscriptions. — The  sub- 
scriptions secured  each  day  should  be  tran- 
scribed at  night  into  the  canvasser's  private 
record  book.     If  this  is  regularly  done  it  will 
save   from   accumulation   of  work,   safeguard 
the  canvasser  in  event  of  loss  of  the  order 
book,  facilitate  his  work  in  making  out  his 
weekly  report  card;  and  contribute  to  his  suc- 
cess and  efficiency  in  every  way. 

The  record  books  are  the  property  of  the 
publisher,  are  essential  and  vitally  necessary 
to  the  perfecting  of  the  publisher's  office 
record,  and  after  the  books  subscribed  for  have 
all  been  delivered,  the  record  book  is  to  be 
returned  promptly  to  the  publisher,  with  all 
names  carefully  and  legibly  written  by  the 
canvasser.  Care  should  always  be  taken  to 
give  the  street  and  number,  name  of  city, 
county,  State,  and  in  the  country,  number  of 
rural  route  and  full  post  office  address. 

494.  Weekly  Report  Card.— The  canvasser 
should  remember  that  it  is  part  of  his  con- 
tract that  a  full  report  of  his  work  and  the 
results  for  the  week  are  to  be  promptly  mailed 
each    Saturday   night   to   the   Vir  Publishing 
Company.    We  furnish  cards  printed  in  blank 
for  this   purpose,   together  with   printed   ad- 
dressed envelopes  for  the  canvassers '  use  and 
convenience,  and  these  reports  promptly  mailed 
are   not   only   expected,   but   required. 


120        SECURING  THE  SUBSCRIPTION. 

prompt  reception  of  the  weekly  report  cards  is 
always  accepted  as  an  evidence  of  a  syste- 
matic and  thorough  canvasser,  while  the  fail- 
ure to  comply  with  this  requirement  is  al- 
ways sure  to  discredit  him.  Even  if  the  can- 
vasser has  worked  but  one  hour,  or  if  he  ha* 
not  worked  a  single  moment  during  the  week, 
yet  he  is  under  contract  for  a  specified  period 
and  during  those  weeks  and  months  he  should 
not  fail  to  send  in  his  weekly  report.  It  is 
also  highly  important  that  each  space  should 
be  properly  filled,  as  we  have  asked  for  noth- 
ing which  is  not  essential  in  the  keeping  of 
our  records  complete. 

495.  Foreign  Translations. — We  generally 
have  on  hand  copies  of  the  Swedish,  Dutch,  and 
German  translations,  and  usually,  copies  of  the 
French,  Spanish  and  other  translations.  These 
books  are  all  printed  in  their  respective  coun- 
tries, are  furnished  to  the  American  publishers 
on  only  a  limited  discount,  and  while  we  are 
always  glad  to  accommodate  the  canvasser  in 
furnishing  him  with  any  of  these  books  pos- 
sible in  a  foreign  language,  yet  we  can  only 
do  so  at  a  small  discount,  and  for  a  limited 
number  of  books.  The  prices  and  discounts 
vary  according  to  language  and  book  desired, 
and  whether  the  particular  book  desired  is  pub- 
lished in  any  certain  language  can  only  be 
learned  by  correspondence. 


OBJECTIONS.  121 

CHAPTER  X. 
OBJECTIONS. 

496.  Expect  Objections.— Do  not  expect  to 
have  entirely  smooth  sailing  in  your  work. 
There  are  some  people  who  are  so  constituted 
that  they  are  bound  to  present  some  objections 
or  excuses  for  not  buying  the  books.  We  want 
to  tell  you  about  a  few  objections  that  you  will 
doubtless  hear,  so  that  you  may  be  prepared 
for  them.  We  cannot  anticipate  all  the  objec- 
tions or  all  the  excuses  that  will  be  offered. 
Even  if  you  were  to  offer  some  people  a  book 
for  nothing,  they  would  "  begin  to  make  ex- 
cuses "  for  not  accepting  it.  Jesus  tells  of 
some  men  who  were  invited  to  a  feast,  and 
"they  all  with  one  consent  began  to  make  ex- 
cuse. "  One  had  married  a  wife  and  he 
could  not  come.  Another  had  bought  some 
oxen  and  he  wanted  to  go  and  prove  them,  and 
the  third  had  bought  some  ground  and  he 
wanted  to  go  and  see  it.  One  would  have 
thought  that  these  three  men  would  all  have 
joyfully  accepted  an  invitation  to  a  banquet, 
so  do  not  be  discouraged  if  you  meet  with  ex- 
cuses and  objections  in  your  work  on  the  part 
of  some  people.  They  are  so  constituted  that 
they  cannot  help  it.  The  canvasser  will  learn 
wisdom  in  the  work  as  he  goes  along,  and  his 
own  judgment  and  good  sense  will  cause  him 
to  be  ready  with  an  answer. 


122  OBJECT  JOS  X. 

It  does  not  follow  because  some  people  of- 
fer excuse  and  raise  objection  that  you  cannot 
sell  them  copies  of  the  books.  They  simply 
show  their  disposition  and  you  must  be  ready 
to  convert  them  to  your  way  of  thinking. 
Keep  your  head  cool  and  your  thoughts  and 
feelings  under  control.  Governor  Charles  E. 
Hughes,  of  New  York,  says:  "I  notice  that 
the  most  successful  men  are  those  whose 
minds  are  always  cool,  who,  no  matter  how 
swift  the  movements  of  their  bodies,  are  able 
to  deliberate  coolly  and  to  produce  calm,  sober 
judgment  even  under  disturbing  circumstances. 
It  is  not  the  man  who  reaches  the  corner  first 
who  wins,  but  the  man  who  knows  exactly 
what  ho  is  going  to  do  when  he  reaches  the 
corner. ' ' 

497.  Meeting  Objections. — When  an  ob- 
jection is  made  it  is  oftentimes  best  wholly  to 
ignore  it.  If,  however,  it  is  an  objection 
which  is  seriously  made,  treat  it  seriously  but 
never  stop  to  argue  upon  an  objection.  Make 
a  strong  statement  in  rebuttal  and  then  go 
right  on  with  your  canvass.  If  you  stop  to 
argue  you  may  win  your  point,  but  you  will 
lose  the  sale.  Hold  the  mind  of  your  cus- 
tomer steadily  to  the  consideration  of  the  im- 
portance of  the  books,  proceed  step  by  step 
and  lead  up  to  the  question  of  subscription. 
Any  other  method  is  likely  to  result  in  failure. 

Never,  under  any  circumstances,  allow  your- 
self to  lose  your  poise  or  become  vexed  or 
cross.  Keep  sweet  under  all  circumstances. 


OBJECTIONS.  123 

The  man  who  loses  his  temper,  loses  the  order 
also. 

498.  They  Want  It  Just  the  Same.— "  The 
experienced  book  man  answers  questions  be- 
fore they  are  made.  His  canvass  is  fashioned 
by  the  customer  and  the  community.  Some 
people  are  slow  in  deciding  any  matter  and 
their  objection  is  merely  to  gain  time  on  their 
part.  Right  then  be  patient  and  keep  the  vital 
points  of  the  book  before  them.  Others  really 
want  the  book  but  talk  back  in  order  not  to 
appear  too  easy.  This  attitude  may  be  prompt- 
ed by  our  very  apparent  anxiety  to  secure  the 
order.  An  independent  attitude  on  our  part 
might  close  the  order  here.  Other  objections 
are  just  as  honest  as  those  we  put  to  a  clerk 
before  purchasing  a  suit  of  clothes.  They 
merely  indicate  that  our  book  is  not  under- 
stood, and  that  we  haven't  yet  done  ourselves 
or  our  business  justice.  They  are  simply  in- 
quiries. Perhaps  the  larger  number  of  ob- 
jections are  merely  cheap  excuses  indicating 
that  no  real  demand  for  the  book  has  yet  been 
created  (nearly  all  money  objections  are  class- 
ed here).  We  must  then  get  back  into  the 
book  and  use  our  reserve  points  until  they 
will  naturally  ask  us  when  we  deliver. 

"Absolute  frankness  disarms  many  oppo- 
nents; give  each  person  credit  for  his  opin- 
ion and  then  tactfully  place  it  against  that  of 
Frances  E.  Willard,  Charles  M.  Sheldon  or 
others ;  briefly  answer  an  objection  then  quick- 
ly forget  all  about  it  and  get  back  to  the  real 


124  OBJECTIONS. 

purpose  of  the  book;  meet  a  'real  stunner* 
with:  'Yes,  that's  a  good  thought;  we'll  talk 
about  that  when  I  show  you  a  little  more 
about  the  book.' 

"Too  many  men  apparently  make  the  book 
incidental  to  the  order.  They  arc  thinking 
of  the  forty  cents  rather  than  the  great  life 
principles  which  the  book  represents;  they  be- 
lieve they  must  close  the  order  whether  the 
person  wants  the  book  or  not.  Our  best  so- 
licitors are  not  those  who  can  hypnotise  the 
customer,  but  those  who  most  i:  inly  believe 
in  the  books,  and  can  convey  that  belief  to 
others.  The  great  question  is  not  simply 
to  get  the  order,  but  to  arouse  such  an  interest 
in  the  books  that  the  order  will  be  forthcoming 
as  a  matter  of  course. M — (K.) 

499.  Deciding  for  Them. — "Some  agents  are 
turned  down  upon  hearing  the  first  objection, 
when  as  a  matter  of  fact  most  objections  are 
made  simply  for  the  purpose  of  learning  more 
about  the  proposition.  A  little  aggressiveness 
on  the  part  of  the  solicitor  will  give  them  the 
desired  information.  There  are  others  again 
who  desire  the  books  and  intend  to  get  them, 
but  haven't  sufficient  confidence  in  their  own 
ability  to  choose  a  good  thing  when  they  see 
it,  hence  they  continue  to  hesitate.  Now  if 
the  agent,  at  this  point,  has  sufficient  aggres- 
siveness to  jump  in  and  decide  for  them,  the 
deal  will  be  closed  and  one  more  person  will 
be  made  happy  in  the  thought  that  he  is  soon 
going  to  come  into  possession  of  a  book  that 


OBJECTIONS.  125 

will  make  life  mean  more  to  him  and  enable 
him  to  enjoy  it  better.  Why,  there  are  hun- 
dreds of  people  for  whom  we  must  decide, 
of  course  giving  them  the  credit,  which  makes 
them  feel  fine,  and  all  that  is  required  is  a 
pleasing  personality  and  a  little  aggressive- 
ness. Instead  of  criticising  the  people  in  your 
field  for  not  appreciating  your  books  to  the 
purchasing  point,  rather  criticise  yourself  for 
not  being  aggressive  enough  to  make  them  re- 
alize their  true  value,  for  as  soon  as  their  true 
value  is  realized  an  order  is  immediately 
forthcoming.  Be  more  aggressive,  you  owe  it 
to  yourself,  to  the  company,  but  most  of  all 
to  the  people  among  whom  you  are  working/' 
-(K.) 

500.  How  to  Make  Ready. — "No  one  per- 
son will  make  all  these  objections,  but  a  man 
must  be  ready  for  the  worst.  If  he  is,  he  may 
not  find  it;  if  he  isn't  he  will  always  find  it. 
The  salesman  should  write  out  every  objection 
and  then  write  out  the  answer  to  it.  Every  time 
he  hears  a  new  objection,  which  he  finds  diffi- 
cult to  answer,  just  as  soon  as  he  gets  away  he 
should  write  it  out  and  prepare  to  meet  it 
and  fit  himself  to  answer  it,  so  that  he  will 
never  fall  down  on  it  again.  Every  time  he 
makes  an  unusually  good  point  he  should  make 
a  note  of  it,  and  use  it  until  it  becomes  a  lit- 
tle old,  and  make  it  his  business  to  have  some 
new  idea  or  suggestion  at  the  close  of  each 
day,  and  don 't  forget  that  half  the  orders  are 
lost  because  a  salesman  gives  up  too  soon." — 
(K.) 


126  OBJECTIONS. 

501.  "The  Times  Are  Hard."— The  cry 
of  "hard  times "  is  heard  "at  all  times, "  and 
is  therefore  the  best  with  which  to  begin  the 
consideration  of  objections.  "Times  are  too 
hard,  I  cannot  afford  to  buy  books,'1  will  con- 
front you  everywhere.  It  is  made  during  the 
most  prosperous  times,  as  well  as  during  peri- 
ods of  financial  depression.  Persons  will  con- 
front you  with  this  objection  before  ever  you 
have  a  chance  to  show  them  your  books,  or  tell 
them  of  their  merits.  It  is  seldom,  however, 
that  the  objection  is  made  seriously.  Often- 
times people  do  not  have  anything  else  to  say. 
They  do  not  mention  it  seriously  and  do  not 
expect  you  to  take  it  seriously. 

Pay  no  attention  to  the  cry  of  "hard  times. ' ' 
Open  your  case,  show  your  books,  create  the 
desire  and  you  will  secure  the  subscription 
just  the  same  as  though  such  an  objection  had 
never  been  heard  of.  Do  not  simply  talk 
about  your  books,  but  show  your  books.  Pro- 
sent  your  cause  with  such  earnestness  and 
your  books  in  such  a  way  that  the  people  will 
desire  to  possess  the  books. 

1.  IGNORING.— Ignore  the  objection  just 
the  same  as  if  you  had  not  heard  it. 

2.  EVADING.— I  have  here  a  set  of  books 
which    are    perfectly    suited    to    hard    times. 
Books  of  great  merit  at  a  low  cost,  books  that 
are  worth  ten  times  as  much  to  the  reader  as 
he  pays  for  them.       That  people  appreciate 
this  fact  and  subscribe  for  them  in  large  num- 
bers you  will  see  from  mv  subscription  list. 

3.  TREATING  LIGHTLY.— Even  if  times 


OBJECTIONS.  127 

are  hard  there  are  some  things  that  are  indis- 
pensable. Knowledge  is  one  of  these.  When 
money  is  scarce  we  do  not  go  without  food  or 
clothing  or  without  knowledge.  We  simply 
become  more  judicious  in  the  expenditure  of 
our  money.  We  buy  the  indispensable,  and 
that  is  just  the  class  to  which  these  books  be- 
long. These  books  are  not  a  luxury,  they  are 
a  necessity.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  of  New 
York,  says:  "Why  were  not  these  books  writ- 
ten centuries  ago?"  That  is  the  kind  of  a 
book  that  I  am  going  to  show  you. 

4.  TREATING  SERIOUSLY.— Benjamin 
Franklin  said  that  "intelligence  is  better  than 
thousands  of  dollars  joined  to  ignorance. " 
Knowledge  is  power;  without  knowledge  we 
are  like  the  man  who  sets  himself  to  turn  over 
the  soil  in  a  40-acre  field  with  a  spade.  The 
intelligent  man  buys  a  plow  and  turns  over 
more  soil  in  an  hour  than  the  man  with  the 
spade  can  turn  over  in  a  month.  It  is  just 
that  kind  of  intelligence  that  makes  the  differ- 
ence between  hard  times  and  good  times.  The 
parent  who  wants  his  child  to  be  intelligent, 
to  start  right,  to  be  successful,  and  the  men 
and  women  who  want  to  save  themselves  from 
the  mistakes  which  wreck  so  many  others, 
cannot  afford  to  be  without  these  books.  It 
is  intelligence  that  makes  times  easy,  and  it  is 
the  lack  of  intelligence  that  makes  times  hard. 

If  it  is  a  parent  whom  you  are  canvassing 
turn  to  Chapter  Thirteen  in  "What  a  Young 
Boy  Ought  to  Know"  and  say:  "This  one 
chapter  alone  which  makes  the  boy  intelligent 


128  OBJECTIONS. 

upon  the  questions  of  his  own  being,  the  terri- 
ble results  of  bad  habits  and  impure  thoughts, 
and  is  alone  worth  more  than  the  price  of  the 
books. ' '  Similar  statements  can  be  made  upon 
various  other  chapters  in  this  book,  and  each 
of  the  other  books  in  the  series  contain  chap- 
ters to  which  you  can  easily  refer  and  make 
similar  statements  that  will  settle  the  question 
of  "hard  times. " 

If  parents  desire  their  children  to  be  intel- 
ligent, prosperous  and  useful  they  must  see  to 
it  that  means  are  provided  at  the  proper  time 
in  life,  and  not  wait  until  the  mistakes  which 
blight  so  many  young  lives  have  been  made. 
These  books  are  as  essential  to  the  happi- 
ness and  prosperity  of  their  children  as  food 
and  clothing.  A  father  who  staives  the  mind 
of  his  child  is  as  guilty  and  as  cruel  as  the 
one  who  starves  their  bodies. 

502.  Can't  Afford  It.— 1.— Wholly  ignore 
this  statement. 

2.  EVADING.— Many  people  tell  me  they 
can't  afford  it  until  they  see  the  books  and 
then  they  tell  me  they  can't  afford  to  be  with- 
out them. 

3.  TREATING  LIGHTLY.— You  say  you 
can't     afford    it!      There     are    some     thi 
we   can't   afford   and   there   are   some   things 
which  we  can't  afford  to  be  without.   When  a 
man  gets  sick  he  doesn't  ask  whether  he  can 
afford  to  pay  the  doctor.     A  parent  does  not 
ask  whether  he  can  afford  to  send  his  child  to 
school,  he  cannot  afford  not  to  send  him  to 


OBJECTIONS.  129 

school.  No  parent,  no  young  man  or  woman, 
no  husband  or  wife  can  afford  to  be  without 
the  information  contained  in  these  books. 

4.  TREATING  SERIOUSLY.— You  mean 
to  say  that  you  cannot  afford  to  do  without 
them.  Abraham  Lincoln,  when  a  boy,  used  to 
work  overtime  so  that  he  could  buy  books 
that  contained  the  information  that  would  help 
him  in  life.  It  was  the  food  that  he  bought 
for  his  intellect  that  made  a  man  of  him.  The 
great  mass  of  people  who  fail  in  life  fail  be- 
cause of  lack  of  knowledge.  The  parent  who 
denies  his  child,  or  denies  himself  or  herself 
the  information  which  these  books  contain  suf- 
fers a  great  loss  in  every  way. 

503.  I  Haven't  Time  to  Read.— 1.— Ignore 
the  statement. 

2.  EVADING.— Everybody    finds    time    to 
do  some  reading. 

3.  TREATING  LIGHTLY.— There  are  very 
few  people  in  this  age  of  intelligence  who  can- 
not read. 

4.  TREATING  SERIOUSLY.— It  surely  is 
a  great  loss  to  anyone  not  to  have  time  to 
read,  but  you  have  a  family  to  consider  and 
their  culture  and  improvement  must  surely  be 
very  dear  to  you;  and  then  if  this  book  were 
within  your  reach  you  would  also  surely  find 
time  to  pick  it  up  and  read  it.     Nobody  has 
time  to  get  sick,  but  when  we  get  sick  we 
have  to  take  the  time.    These  books  have  been 
prepared  especially  for  busy  people.    They  do 
not  contain  everything  that  could  be  said  upon 


130  OBJBCT1OVB. 

these  subjects,  but  they  contain  just  the  very 
things  that  all  people  ought  to  know,  "What 
a  young  man  ought  to  know,"  "What  a  young 
wife  ought  to  know;"  it  is  a  regular  "what 
you  ought  to  know"  series.  When  you  have 
read  one  of  these  books  you  will  want  to  read 
them  all.  They  are  the  very  kind  of  books 
that  you  will  be  sure  to  find  time  to  read. 

504.  We  Can  Get  all  the  Books  We  Want 
in  the  Public  Library. — 1. — Ignore,  but  go 
right  on  with  your  canvass  showing  that  these 
books  are  read  and  reread,  and  are  kept  as  a 
guide  throughout  one's  life. 

'J.  EVADING. — No  home  is  complete  with- 
out a  library  of  its  own.  Public  libraries  are 
:;11  riirhl.  So  are  public  dispensaries  and  pub- 
lic soup  houses,  but  every  person  has  bo< 
his  own.  Each  person  has  his  own  family 
physician,  and  each  family  seeks  to  provide 
its  own  food.  Infection  from  disease  is  li- 
able to  occur  from  a  book  which  has  been  in 
some  family  where  they  have  contagion 
eases,  the  same  as  infection  is  often  spread  in 
a  public  dispensary  or  a  public  soup  ho 

3.  TREATING  SERIOUSLY.— Of  course, 
Mrs.  Smith,  public  libraries  are  all  right,  but 
these  books  were  written  for  the  home,  and 
they  deserve  a  permanent  place  in  every  home. 
These  books  are  not  like  books  of  fiction,  but 
are  like  books  of  reference.  When  you  have 
read  them  you  will  want  them  at  hand  where 
you  can  refer  to  them  at  any  time.  Napoleon 
said:  "Show  me  a  family  of  readers  and  I 


OBJECTIONS.  131 

will  show  you  the  people  who  move  the  world. ' J 
Solomon  said:  "It  is  better  to  get  wisdom  than 
silver  or  gold." — (Prov.  16:  16.) 

505.  I've  Got  a  Doctor  Book.— First  An- 
swer.— If  you  had  all  the  doctor 's  books  that 
are    published,    they   would  not    all   together 
contain    the    information    which    these    books 
contain.    These  books  contain  no  prescriptions, 
as  the  law  does  not  allow  a  druggist  to  fill  a 
prescription  unless  given  by  a  physician.  These 
books  are  not  about  medicines,  but  about  what 
men  and  women  ought  to  know  about  them- 
selves: not  about  sick  people,  but  about  well 
people.     There  are  no  other  books  that  take 
the  place  of  these. 

Second  Answer. — This  is  not  a  "  doctor 
book. "  Doctors  themselves  are  among  our 
best  customers.  They  buy  these  books  for 
their  own  library,  they  lend  them  to  their  pa- 
tients, and  many  even  sell  them  to  their  pa- 
tients in  order  that  they  may  have  the  infor- 
mation which  these  books  contain. 

506.  We  Have  Similar  Books. — No  doubt 
you    think   you   have,    Mrs.    Smith,   but   that 
would  be  impossible,  for  these  are  the  only 
books  of  their  kind  that  have  ever  been  writ- 
ten in  serial  form.     The  book  to  young  boys 
and  the  book  to  young  girls  tell  just  what  a 
boy  or  girl  ought  to  know,  and  what  they  must 
know  if  they  are  to  develop  the  right  kind  of 
a  life,  and  at  the  same  time  it  does  not  tell 
them  what  they  ought  not  to  know. 


132  OBJECTIONS. 

The  books  to  young  men  and  women  tell 
just  what  each  of  these  need  to  know  at  their 
particular  period  in  life.  The  books  to  younir 
husbands  and  young  wives  are  for  the  home- 
makers,  both  young  and  old,  as  they  enter 
upon  this  important  relation  in  life.  It  is  the 
same  with  the  books  to  Men  of  Forty-Five 
and  Women  of  Forty-Five.  They  contain  the 
information  which  is  essential  to  persons  of 
middle  life.  It  was  a  wise  act  in  the  publish- 
ers, was  it  not,  Mrs.  Smith,  to  put  up  this  in- 
formation for  people  of  different  ages  and  of 
different  sexes  in  separate  volumes? 

507.  I  Must  See  My  Husband— It  is  a 
good  sign  to  hear  a  wife  talk  that  way,  and 
there  are  many  things  about  which  a  good  wife 
ought  to  consult  her  husband,  but  all  good  hus- 
bands recognize  the  fact  that  the  wife  is  the 
home-maker,  she  must  largely  decide  the  mat- 
ter of  food,  clothing,  furniture  and  books.  It 
is  the  wife  that  is  the  home  maker.  The  father 
is  away  at  his  work  but  the  mother  is  at  home 
and  when  the  children  come  home  from  school 
they  always  want  mother.  When  they  have  a 
question  they  come  to  mother.  Whatever  they 
want  they  come  to  mother.  Now,  Mrs.  Smith, 
I  can  see  that  you  are  a  good  housekeeper  for 
everything  about  me  tells  of  thoughtfulness 
and  care  upon  your  part,  and  a  husband  who 
has  a  wife  like  that  always  has  pleasure  in  re- 
specting1 her  judgment.  He  will  approve  of 
your  judgment  in  this,  as  he  surely  must  do 
in  everything  else. 


OBJECTIONS.  133 

508.  Am  Opposed  to  Buying  from  Agents. 
— Well,  you  are  different,  Mrs.  Smith,  from 
the  merchants  of  your  town.     They  all  buy 
on  orders  from  samples  shown  by  agents.    In 
fact  they  look  eagerly  for  the  coming  of  the 
agent  at  the  appointed  seasons  of  the  year. 
It   is    really    the   best    way   of   buying,    Mrs. 
Smith,  because  you  have  an  opportunity  to  talk 
with  an  agent  as  to  the  quality  of  the  goods 
that  he  sells.    Of  course,  there  are  some  agents 
who  sell  cotton  goods  for  linen,  and  shoddy 
for  all  wool,  but  with  these  books  it  is  differ- 
ent.   The  eminent  people  who  commend  them, 
as  I  have  just  told  you  speak  more  eloquently 
than  anything  I  can  say,  and  then  I  also  give 
you  a  written  guarantee  that  the  books  I  de- 
liver will  be  identical  in  every  respect  to  the 
sample  which  I  show  you. 

509.  There   Are   too   Many   Book   Agents 
About. — Well,   there   are  a  great  many  book 
agents  and  I  am  not  here  to  criticise  the  books 
which  they  sell,  but  you  cannot  class  me  as  a 
book  agent  for  I  am  engaged  in  a  great  cam- 
paign which  is  being  extensively  waged  for 
personal  and  social  purity.    My  vocation  is  as 
different  from  the  ordinary  book  canvasser  as 
day  is  from  night.     The  best  people  in  every 
community  give  me  and  this  movement  their 
most  hearty  support.    The  books  are  so  impor- 
tant that  the  War  Department  in  the  United 
States   Government   has   purchased   copies   of 
these  books  and  put  them  into  the  libraries  of 
all  our  war  vessels  for  the  use  of  both  officers 


134  OBJECTIONS. 

and  men.  This  shows  you  that  the  books  have 
the  information  that  our  rulers  want  the  men 
behind  the  guns  to  have,  and  if  there  were 
women  in  the  navy  the  Secretary  of  War 
would  want  them  to  have  these  books  also.  The 
eminent  people  who  have  endorsed  our  books 
show  that  they  are  different  from  any  other 
books  along  these  lines  that  were  ever  pub- 
lished, do  they  not,  Mrs.  Smith! 

510.  A  Book  Agent  Cheated  Me  Once. — 1. 
—TREATING   LIGHTLY.— Such   men   ought 
always  to  be  arrested.    They  do  an  honorable 
calling  a  great  injury.    A  tailor  once  cheated 
me.     I  did  not  on  that  account  stop  buying 
clothes,  but  I  simply  bought  my  clothes  at  an- 
other   place.       If    some    dishonest    merchant 
should  sell  you  a  worthless  pair  of  shoes  you 
would  not  go  barefooted  the  rest  of  your  life. 
That   would   not   be   treating  yourself   fairly, 
would  it,  Mrs.  Jones  T 

2.  TREATING  SERIOUSLY.— Yes,  I  am 
not  surprised  to  hear  that,  Mrs.  Smith.  There 
are  rogues  in  all  professions.  To  be  candid 
with  you,  even  if  I  were  disposed  to  do  so  I 
do  not  see  how  I  could  cheat  you,  because  you 
do  not  pay  me  in  advance  for  these  books,  and 
here  is  a  contract  guaranteeing  by  the  publish- 
ers themselves  that  the  books  you  order  shall 
be  just  like  those  I  am  showing  you.  When  I 
am  delivering  them,  if  they  should  not  prove 
to  be  exactly  as  I  have  represented,  you  can 
decline  to  receive  them. 

511.  The  Books  Are  too  Small  for  the  Price. 


OBJECTIONS.  135 

—First  Answer. — It  isn't  the  question  of  size, 
it's  the  question  of  value.  A  silver  dollar  is 
larger  than  a  five-dollar  gold  piece,  but  the 
five-dollar  gold  piece  is  worth  five  times  as 
much  as  the  silver  dollar.  The  books  were 
written  by  specialists  and  the  information 
which  they  contain  is  found  in  no  other  books. 
The  fact  is,  Mrs.  Smith,  these  books  are  cheap 
even  when  judged  by  their  size.  Indeed,  when 
compared  with  the  ordinary  subscription 
books,  these  books  should  sell  for  a  dollar  and 
a  half,  or  even  for  two  dollars. 

Second  Answer. — The  contents  of  these 
books  make  them  far  more  valuable  than  ordi- 
nary books.  The  quality  of  the  paper  upon 
which  they  are  printed,  the  excellent  character 
of  the  binding,  the  pure  gold  leaf  used  in 
stamping  them,  as  well  as  the  excellent  char- 
acter of  the  type  used  and  the  careful  print- 
ing make  these  books  equal  to  the  very  best 
books  manufactured  in  this  country,  and  for 
their  size  they  are  even  less  expensive  than 
the  most  books  sold  in  book  stores.  You  would 
not  desire  the  book  to  contain  more  than  the 
boy  should  know.  And  this  book  is  valuable 
because  it  teaches  only  what  the  boy  ought  to 
know.  A  dollar  is  very  little  money,  isn't  it, 
Mrs.  Smith,  for  such  vital  information? 

These  books  are  worth  their  weight  in  gold. 
They  are  not  ordinary  books;  they  have  been 
translated  into  twenty  and  more  foreign 
languages,  and  are  circulated  in  every  civilized 
country  upon  the  globe. 


]36  OBJECTIONS. 

512.  I  Can  Buy  This  Book  Sometime  in 
the  Book  Store. — Mrs.  Smith,  I  would  be  do- 
ing you  an  injustice  if  I  left  you  under  such  an 
impression.  The  people  who  intend  to  do 
something  sometime  in  the  future  are  the  peo- 
ple who  never  do  it.  There  is  only  one  time  to 
do  the  thing  that  ought  to  be  done  and  that  is 
to  do  it  right  away.  If  I  go  out  of  this  house 
without  your  subscription  you  will  in  all  prob- 
ability never  be  the  owner  of  one  of  these 
books.  You  will  never  have  this  information 
which  is  invaluable — yes,  even  indispensable 
to  every  person.  No  intelligent  person  can 
afford  to  be  without  it. 

There  are  thousands  of  people  living  in 
Huffalo,  only  a  few  miles  from  Niagara  Falls 
who  have  never  seen  the  Falls  and  never  will. 
They  mean  to  see  the  Falls,  but  because  they 
are  only  a  few  miles  away  they  keep  put  ting 
it  off  and  die  of  old  age  without  ever  seeing  the 
Falls  at  all.  Other  people  travel  thousands  of 
miles  to  see  Niagara  Falls,  and  some  come 
from  lands  across  the  seas.  Mrs.  Smith,  there 
is  only  one  way  you  will  ever  get  these  books, 
and  that  is  to  get  them  now  while  you  have  the 
opportunity.  I  will  take  your  order  and  will 
deliver  them  to  you  without  any  trouble  what- 
ever. These  books  sell  at  $1.00  each  the  world 
around,  and  people  everywhere  are  buying 
them  because  they  want  the  books,  and  at  the 
same  time  many  are  glad  to  help  young  men 
who  are  canvassing  so  that  they  can  earn  the 
money  to  pay  their  way  through  college  in 
their  effort  to  fit  themselves  for  usefulness  in 


OBJECTIONS.  137 

life.  I  can  deliver  the  book  to  you  right  off 
or  make  delivery  at  some  future  time.  Which 
would  suit  you  best,  Mrs.  Smith? 

513.  I  Don't  Believe  in  Telling  Children 
Such  Things.— First  Answer.— It  isn't  a 
question  of  what  the  parent  believes  but 
what  the  child  believes  in  this  matter. 
You  may  think  that  your  children  ought 
not  to  know  certain  things,  but  your  children 
themselves  determine,  like  all  other  children, 
that  they  will  find  them  out,  and  they  will  find 
them  out ;  but  instead  of  beirg  told  in  a  pure, 
clean  way  like  these  books  convey  the  infor- 
mation they  learn  them  in  a  defiled  and  ob- 
scene way.  Your  children,  if  they  are  old 
enough  to  go  to  school  already  know  these 
things,  and  as  their  parent  it  is  your  duty  to 
see  that  their  minds  are  clarified  of  the  im- 
purity which  has  already  been  injected  into 
their  minds  by  impure  children  upon  the 
streets  and  at  the  school. 

Second  Answer. — No,  certainly,  not  such 
things  as  most  children  know.  But  don't  you 
know,  Mrs.  Smith,  that  unless  a  child  is  an 
idiot  he  is  bound  to  think  about  these  things 
and  hear  of  them  from  other  children.  And 
do  you  not  also  think,  Mrs.  Smith,  that  this 
information  should  come  in  a  pure  way  from 
the  pure  lips  of  the  mother?  Tell  them  purely, 
Mrs.  Smith,  about  these  subjects  and  they  will 
be  held  sacred  in  the  memories  of  your  chil- 
dren, and  in  after-life  they  will  bless  your 
precious  memory  for  the  truths  you  taught 


138  on  j  Err  io  \ 

them.  Just  read  the  book  yourself,  Mrs. 
Smith,  and  you  will  want  to  put  it  immedi- 
ately into  the  hands  of  your  child. 

The  secretary  of  one  of  the  large  trust  com- 
panies in  Philadelphia  put  a  copy  of  "Youni: 
Boy"  and  " Young  Girl"  on  the  reading  table 
in  his  library  without  saying  a  word  '< 
children  about  them.  That  evpnini?  his  little 
son  and  daughter  entered  the  room  and  both 
pounced  down  upon  their  respective  books  and 
were  soon  buried  in  their  contents.  H< 
that  after  that  he  noticed  a  great  improvement 
in  the  conduct  and  appearance  of  his  boy, 
and  that  his  wife  had  noticed  a  corresponding 
improvement  in  the  little  girl.  (Quote  from 
some  of  the  commendations  that  you  have  in 
Young  Boy  and  Young  Girl  book.) 

For  a  full  answer  t<>  thi^  objection  read  the 
"Foreword  to  Parents"  in  the  opening  pages 
of  What  A  Young  Boy  Ought  To  Know.  The 
canvasser  should  also  thoroughly  study  the 
pamphlet  "Parental  Honesty,"  should  be  able 
to  use  both  the  facts  that  that  pamphlet  con- 
tains, and  also  the  pamphlet  itself,  in  showing 
parents  their  error  when  they  think  that  their 
children  have  "never  thought  of  these  things." 
Use  effectively  also  the  quotations  from  vari- 
ous writers  found  in  the  closing  pages  of  that 
pamphlet.  Leave  a  copy  of  this  pamphlet 
with  "Mrs.  Smith"  to  read  and  call  back  in 
a  day  or  two. 

514.  I  Don't  Want  My  Children  to  Know 
Such  Things. — First  Answer. — In  your  desire 


OBJECTIONS.  139 

you  are  quite  right.     Let  me  read  you  from 
this  book   (Page  20,  Young  Girl).       "  'But,' 
says  one  mother,  'I  want  to  keep  my  daughter 
innocent  as  long  as  I  can/  and  I  reply,  I  go 
still  further  in  my  desires.     I  wish  to  keep 
them  innocent  always.    But  ignorance  and  in- 
nocence are  not  synonymous.     Many  children 
are  deplorably  ignorant  who  are  far  from  in- 
nocent, while  others  may  have  much  more  pure 
knowledge  and  yet  be  most  sweetly  innocent. " 
Second  Answer. — Mrs.  Smith,  I  know  what 
you  mean.    You  mean  to  say  that  you  do  not 
want  your  children  to  know  these  things  in  an 
impure  way.     Now,  there  are  only  three  ways 
in  which  they  can  learn  these  things.     They 
are  bound  to  learn  them  in  some  way.     They 
must  learn  them  from  their  parents  in  a  pure 
way  or  they  must  learn  them  by  sad  experi- 
ence  which  is   a  very  ruinous  way,   or  they 
must  learn  them  from  ignorant  associates  who 
teach   them  in   an   impure  way.     Now,   Mrs. 
Smith,  in  which  way  do  you  want  your  chil- 
dren to  learn  these  things?     They  surely  will 
learn  them  in  some  way.   Had  you  better  not 
teach  them  in  the  right  way  1    Mrs.  Stevenson, 
the  National  Secretary  of  the  Women's  Chris- 
tian  Temperance  Union,   says    (turn  to  com- 
mendations  in   Young  Girl):    "It   is   a  book 
which    any  mother  may  safely  put  into  the 
hands  of  her  daughter/*     "Pansy,"  the  au- 
thor whose  books  have  been  read  everywhere, 
says:  "What  A  Young  Girl  Ought  To  Know" 
is   a  book   that  mothers  cannot  afford  to  be 
without."    Mrs.  Coolidge  says:  "It  is  a  book 


140  OBJECTIONS. 

that  mothers  and  daughters  ought  to  own." 
Mrs.  Diaz  says:  "Mothers  will  be  thankful 
for  so  helpful  a  book."  I  could  read  you  sim- 
ilar quotations  from  each  of  the  other  books, 
from  Lady  Henry  Somerset,  Frances  E.  Wil- 
lard,  Mrs.  Mary  Lowe  Dickinson,  Mrs.  Stev- 
ens and  scores  of  others. 

515.  Children  Know  Too  Much  Already.— 
You  are  perfectly  right  in  that,  Mrs.  Smith, 
but  where  do  they  get  their  information? 
From  their  parents  in  a  pure,  right  way,  or 
from  older  companions  upon  the  streets  and 
at  school  in  a  manner  that  defiles  the  mind 
and  degrades  the  entire  being?  It  is  as  na- 
tural for  a  child  to  have  curiosity  upon  these 
subjects  as  it  is  for  them  to  breathe.  It  is 
not  only  natural,  but  it  is  right.  Unless  a 
child  is  an  idiot,  it  is  sure  to  ask  concerning 
the  origin  of  life.  If  the  parent  does  not  sat- 
isfy this  desire  for  information  the  child  will 
secure  it  elsewhere.  But  the  trouble  is  that 
the  parents  do  not  know  how  to  present  this 
matter  to  the  mind  of  a  child  in  the  right  way. 
These  books  are  written  to  tell  the  parent 
how  to  do  this  very  thing.  You  should  buy 
the  book  and  read  it  yourself  and  then  place 
it  in  the  hands  of  your  child.  You  should  al- 
ways know  what  your  child  knows  upon  these 
subjects.  Thousands  of  parents  everywhere 
have  satisfactorily  settled  these  questions  in 
the  minds  of  their  boys  and  girls,  and  all 
have  been  delighted  with  the  results.  If  you 
answer  these  questions  in  the  manner  shown 


OBJECTIONS.  141 

in  these  books  no  embarrassing  questions  will 
arise.  Your  child  will  no  longer  converse 
with  other  children  upon  these  subjects,  and 
where  parents  take  their  children  into  their 
confidence  in  this  way,  they  find  that  their 
children  will  keep  these  cecrets  with  their 
parents,  just  the  same  as  they  will  otherwise 
keep  impure  secrets  away  from  their  parents. 
It  is  just  as  Rev.  F.  B.  Meyer,  the  great 
London  preacher,  says  here  in  "What  A 
Young  Boy  Ought  To  Know"  (turning  to  the 
portraits  and  commendation  in  Young  Boy) : 
"These  questions  are  always  being  asked,  and 
if  they  are  not  answered  in  a  pure  way  they 
will  be  answered  in  an  impure  way."  Mrs. 
Smith,  you  can  rest  assured  if  you  do  not 
teach  your  child  at  home  in  a  pure  and  right 
way  somebody  else  will  teach  it  in  an  impure 
and  an  improper  way.  It  will  be  taught,  that 
is  certain.  The  question  is,  who  shall  teach 
it  and  how  shall  it  be  taught.  As  the  parent 
of  the  child  you  must  decide  this  question.  It 
is  too  vital,  too  important  for  you  to  make  a 
mistake  at  this  point.  A  dollar  is  nothing;  the 
purity  and  the  safety  of  your  child  is  every- 
thing. 

516.  I  Got  Along  Without  Such  Knowledge 
and  My  Children  Can  too.— Perhaps  some  peo- 
ple have  grown  up  and  become  the  best  of  men 
and  women,  with  little  knowledge  of  these 
subjects.  Such  instances  are  exceptional. 
Mothers  say  to  me  every  day  that  they  would 
give  anything  if  they  could  have  had  these 


142  OBJECTIONS. 

books    when    they   were    children    themselves 
or   when    their   grown    children   were    young. 

517.  I  Depend  on  the  School  to  Educate  My 
Children. — I  see,  Mrs.  Smith,  that  you  believe 
in  the  Public  School  System.  That  you  be- 
lieve in  the  education  of  the  young.  I  wish 
could  get  some  mothers  like  you  on  the  School 
Boards  in  the  different  communiti< •>.  lx cause 
I  believe  that  we  would  ^et  the  right  kind  of 
books  in  their  hands  to  study.  But  these 
books  discuss  questions  that  are  not  at  pres- 
ent taught  in  the  schools.  They  will  be  some 
day,  Mrs.  Smith,  and  I  know  that  after  you 
place  them  in  the  hands  of  your  children  you 
will  want  their  priceless  information  in  the 
hand  of  every  school  child  in  the  land. 

Second  Reply. — It  is  a  good  thing  to  send 
children  to  school.  No  one  should  neglect  to 
do  that,  but  they  must  have  the  best  books  at 
home  or  they  will  never  become  interested  in 
reading.  Persons  who  read  secure  the  most 
valuable  part  of  their  education  by  reading 
the  best  books.  A  book  like  this  is  worth  its 
weight  in  gold  to  a  growing  boy  or  girl  for 
several  reasons.  1.  It  tells  them  what  is  pre- 
eminently important  for  them  to  know.  2.  It 
not  only  tells  them  what  they  ought  to  know, 
but  what  they  want  to  know  and  what  they 
will  be  sure  to  find  out  in  an  impure  way  un- 
less told  in  a  manner  somewhat  like  it  is  told 
in  this  book.  3.  It  will  help  them  to  form  a 
taste  for  the  right  kind  of  reading.  4.  It  will 
teach  them  to  think  and  a  book  like  this  is 
simply  invaluable. 


OBJECTIONS.  143 

518.  My  Child  is  Too  Young.— As  soon  as 
the  child  is  old  enough  to  ask  questions  con- 
cerning the  origin  of  life  it  is  old  enough  to  be 
told  the  truth  if  the  parent  knows  how  to  tell 
this  truth  in  a  proper  way.     You  do  not  be- 
lieve in  telling  your  children  falsehoods,  do 
you,  Mrs.  Smith?     But,  like  all  parents  you 
are  in  doubt  as  to  how  to  deal  with  this  deli- 
cate matter.     Now,  these  books  tell  you  how 
to  tell  your  child  truthfully,  yet  in  the  most 
delicate  and  purest  way,  and  the  information 
will  come  from  the  pure  lips  of  the  mother  in- 
stead of  the  vile  companions  in  the  school  or 
on  the  play-ground.    You  would  not  have  your 
child  to  get  into  the  habit  of  telling  untruths, 
would  you,  Mrs.  Smith?    And  don't  you  think 
that  if  you  seek  to  deceive  your  child  that 
your  child  will  be  sure  to  take  advantage  of 
your  example  and  in  turn  deceive  you?   The 
fact   is   that  many  people  believe  that  their 
children  never  think  along  these  lines  because 
the  children  never  talk  to  them  of  these  sub- 
jects.    They  deceived  their  child  when  it  was 
small,   and  later  the  child  learned  the  facts 
from  other  children,  and  when  it  has  found 
that  it  has  been  deceived  it  never  returns  to 
its  parents  with  further  inquiry  upon  these 
subjects.     The  fact  that  a  child  does  not  in- 
quire of  its  parent  is  an  evidence  that  it  has 
already  been  told  by  others.    I  tell  you,  Mrs. 
Smith,    you    cannot    permanently    deceive    a 
child. 

519.  My  Child  is  Only  a  Year  Old.— When 


144  OBJECTIONS. 

a  child  is  only  a  year  or  two  old,  parents  of- 
tentimes think  they  do  not  need  this  informa- 
tion, but  the  parents  of  very  young  children 
are  the  very  ones  who  should  possess  them- 
selves of  this  kind  of  knowledge  so  that  they 
may  be  ready  to  answer  judiciously  and  wisely 
when  the  question  arises.  One  of  the  ear- 
liest inquiries  of  an  intelligent,  thoughtful 
child  is  sure  to  be  concerning  the  ori.sin  of 
life.  When  the  angel  of  life  has  come  into 
your  own  home  or  the  home  of  some  neighbor 
the  question  is  sure  to  rise  in  the  mind  of  your 
child,  and  whenever  it  is  n>ki '<!,  it  matters  not 
how  young  they  may  be,  it  should  be  dealt 
with  honestly  and  judiciously.  If  not  properly 
answered  the  first  time  the  question  is  asked  it 
may  never  be  asked  again.  The  parent  who 
attempts  to  deceive,  even  the  youngest  child, 
seldom  has  that  opportunity  afforded  the  sec- 
ond time.  When  a  discreet,  honest  answer  is 
not  forthcoming  from  the  parent  the  child  will 
be  sure  to  seek  information  elsewhere,  and 
often  from  most  questionable  and  ruinous 
sources. 

520.  I  Warn  My  Children  of  all  Dangers.— 
First  Answer. — I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that, 
Mrs.  Smith,  for  mothers  of  that  class  are  the 
very  ones  who  are  most  interested  in  these 
books.  They  are  the  very  ones  who  buy 
them  for  themselves,  and  use  their  influence 
with  their  friends.  No  one  will  read  these 
books  with  more  appreciation  than  you  will, 
Mrs.  Smith.  You  know  how  difficult  it  is  to 


OBJECTIONS.  145 

deal  with  young  people  upon  these  delicate 
subjects.  You  will  appreciate  the  delicate  and 
impressive  way  in  which  these  subjects  are 
handled  in  these  books.  When  you  place  them 
in  the  hands  of  your  children  you  will  find 
that  they  add  "weight  to  your  warnings  and 
wisdom  to  your  counsels. " 

Second  Answer.— I  am  glad,  Mrs.  Smith, 
that  you  warn  your  children.  You  know  how 
difficult  it  is  to  reform  people  after  they  have 
gone  wrong.  These  books  are  designed  to  as- 
sist the  parents  to  the  formation  of  right  char- 
acter in  the  beginning,  rather  than  to  reform 
later  on.  When  you  have  yourself  read  these 
books,  Mrs.  Smith,  you  will  sea  how  beauti- 
fully they  are  suited  to  aid  you  in  this  splen- 
did work  which  you  are  seeking  to  do  with 
your  children. 

521.  I  Do  Not  Believe  in  the  Circulation  of 
this  Kind  of  Books. — The  kind  of  books  you 
are  thinking  about  is  not  the  kind  of  books 
which  I  am  selling.  Such  books  as  you  have 
in  mind  could  never  receive  the  endorsement 
of  intelligent  people  whose  portraits  and  com- 
mendations are  found  in  the  front  of  each  of 
these  books  (pointing  out  some  of  the  por- 
traits and  reading  some  of  the  commendations 
best  suited  to  the  case).  These  books,  in 
Heathen  countries  alone  have  been  translated 
by  six  different  church  missionary  societies  for 
the  use  of  their  missionaries  in  their  work. 
Do  you  think  that  the  Church  Missionary  So- 
cieties of  America  and  England  would  trans- 


146  OBJECTIONS. 

late  these  books  for  the  heathen,  if  they  were 
the  kind  of  books  you  are  thinking  about? 
These  books  have  been  endorsed  by  all  of  the 
leading  religious,  educational  and  secular  pa- 
pers in  the  United  States  and  Great  Britain. 
They  are  commended  by  ministers,  physicians, 
lawyers  and  every  class  of  intelligent  people. 

So  important  do  the  hauling  educator 
gard  the  contents  of  these  books  that  their 
authors  have  been  asked  to  prepare  them  in 
form  for  instruction  in  the  public  schools. 
If  boys  and  girls  are  to  be  suve-1  from  the 
vices  which  come  as  the  result  of  ignonr 
they  should  be  taught  the  contents  of  these 
two  books,  "What  A  Young  Boy  Ought  To 
Know"  and  "What  A  Young  Girl  Ought  To 
Know."  It  is  absolutely  imperative  that  peo- 
ple should  know  something  concerning  them- 
selves. Socrates  said:  "Ignorance  is  vice" 
and  it  is  vice,  whether  among  the  young  or 
the  old. 

522.  I  Don't  Believe  in  These  Books.— Of 
course  you  don't  believe  in  these  books,  Mrs. 
Smith,  because  you  never  read  them.  One 
of  our  representatives  called  upon  an  intel- 
ligent gentleman  in  Milwaukee  who  was  a 
clergyman  and  the  buyer  for  a  large  book- 
store. This  minister  said  to  our  representa- 
tive, very  curtly,  "I  don't  believe  in  your 
books."  The  representative  said,  "Have  you 
ever  read  them?"  "No,  I  have  not,"  replied 
the  clergyman.  "Well,"  said  our  representa- 
tive, "do  you  think  it  fair  to  condemn  a  book 


OBJECTIONS.  147 

you  have  never  read?  Is  it  not  what  we  Chris- 
tians have  against  infidels  who  condemned 
the  Bible  without  having  ever  read  it?"  It  is 
needless  to  say  that  this  clergyman  saw  the 
force  of  the  salesman's  argument.  He  ex- 
amined the  books  themselves,  read  the  endorse- 
ments of  the  people  who  commended  them,  or- 
dered a  large  quantity  of  them  and  has  since 
been  one  of  the  best  friends  of  these  books  in 
this  country.  Now,  Mrs.  Smith,  (turn  to  the 
commendations  rapidly  and  mention  names  of 
people  who  have  endorsed  the  books).  If  these 
eminent  people  have  read  them,  believe  in 
them  and  endorse  them  so  heartily,  a  lady  of 
your  intelligence  cannot  fail  to  do  so.  Can 
you,  Mrs.  Smith? 

523.  If  These  Are  Such  Great  Books,  and 
Were  Written  to  do  Good,  Why  Are  They  Not 
Printed  in  Cheap  Form  at  Ten  or  Twenty-five 
Cents  Each? — There  are  several  good  reasons. 
An  organization  for  doing  good  has  to  be  sup- 
ported, and  by  issuing  the  books  in  this  perma- 
nent form,  each  purchaser  not  only  gets  the 
full  value,  but  helps  to  carry  on  the  good  work. 
Canvassers  could  not  be  sent  out  to  sell  them 
because  there  would  be  no  money  with  which 
to  pay  them.  The  publishers  could  not  adver- 
tise them  because  they  would  have  no  money 
for  this  purpose.  Now  they  sometimes  spend 
as  much  as  $10,000  a  year  in  their  effort  to 
bring  these  books  to  the  attention  of  people 
everywhere.  If  they  had  been  published  in 
pamphlet  form,  very  few  copies  would  ever 


148  OBJECTIONS. 

have  been  circulated,  while  in  this  form,  and 
with  the  advertising  which  has  been  given 
them,  they  have  already  gained  a  circulation 
around  the  entire  globe.  They  have  been 
translated  into  more  than  twenty  foreign  lan- 
guages and  people  in  every  part  of  the  world 
praise  these  books  and  help  to  circulate  them 
among  their  friends. 

In  addition  to  this,  Mrs.  Smith,  these  books 
have  been  sold  by  students  with  the  purpose 
of  doing  a  philanthropic  work,  and  at  the  same 
lime  raising  money  sufficient  to  pay  for  their 
education.  Then,  too,  Mrs.  Smith,  truly  scien- 
tific books  like  these  are  usually  very  expen- 
sive, while,  as  many  people  say,  this  whole 
series  can  be  purchased  for  the  price  one  would 
have  to  pay  for  many  single  volumes  of  a 
scientific  work. 

524.  How  Do  I  Know  the  Book  Will  be  as 
Represented? — I  am  not  showing  you  a  pros- 
pectus, Mrs.  Smith.    I  am  showing  you  a  copy 
of  the  complete  book  just  the  same  as  that 
which  will  be  delivered  to  you,  only  that  your 
book  will  be  new,  and  clean  and  fresh.     I:i 
addition  to  that,  here  is  a  guarantee  which  I 
give  you  with  my  endorsement  that  the  book 
shall  be  in  every  respect  as  represented,  and 
if  it  is  not  as  represented  and  as  shown  by 
these  samples,  you  will  not  be  required  to  take 
it.    That  is  just  what  it  says  here  in  the  con- 
tract which  you  can  read  for  yourself. 

525.  I  May  Not  Have  the  Money  WTien 


OBJECTIONS.  149 

You  Make  Your  Deliveries. — There  is  no  ques- 
tion about  that  with  a  person  so  discreet  and 
frugal  and  careful  as  these  surroundings  show 
you  to  be.  You  would  be  offended  if  I  should 
suggest  that  you  could  not  set  aside  ten  times 
that  amount  long  before  the  time  for  my  de- 
livery of  these  books.  A  few  cents  a  day 
laid  by  will  make  the  necessary  provision. 

526.  I  Cannot  Order  Now,  But  May  Take  a 
Copy  When  You  Make  Your  Delivery. — Well, 
I    only    order   from   the    publishers    sufficient 
books  for  those  who  have  actually  subscribed. 
I  shall  have  no  copies  to  spare.     If  I  order 
more  books  than  I  have  orders  for,  I  would 
have  to  pay  for  them  myself.     This  will  be 
your  only  opportunity  to  procure  these  valu- 
able books,  and  you  cannot  afford  to  lose  this 
opportunity. 

527.  Will  Not  Order  a  Book  To-day,  But 
May  Take  One  Later  On. — The  best  things  in 
life  are  usually  lost  by  procrastination.    It  is 
always  dangerous  to  put  off  until  to-morrow 
what  we  should  do  to-day.    I  have  only  a  lim- 
ited time  to  stay  in  this  place,  Mrs.  Smith,  and 
I  am  getting  the  orders  now  for  future  de- 
livery.    Many  want  their  books  immediately 
and  others  in  a  month  or  six  weeks.     I  can 
accommodate   both.     You  had  better  let   me 
have  your  order  now  while  you  are  in  the  mood, 
other  things  will  occupy  your  mind  and  you 
will  be  sure  to  forget  the  importance  of  these 
books.     You  know  and  appreciate  now  their 


150  OBJECTIONS. 

importance,  Mrs.  Smith,  and  I  will  ask  you 
just  to  write  your  name  in  my  order  book,  and 
I  will  give  you  the  attached  slip  which  guar- 
antees that  the  books  shall  be  in  all  respects 
like  the  sample  I  have  shown  you. 

528.  I  Can  Borrow  My  Neighbor's  Book.— 
Your  neighbors   are   kind   people,   I   have   no 
doubt,  but  I  am  sure  you  would  not  think  of 
going  to  them  to  borrow  their  clock  or  any 
article  that  is  in  almost  daily  use,  would  you 
Mrs.   Smith?     You   are   too   independent   for 
that,  I  am  sure.     There  are  many  things  that 
people  do  not  like  to  lend,  and  books  is  one 
of  them. 

529.  I  Have  More  Books  Now  Than  I  Can 
Read. — I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  that.    Ev- 
erybody ought  to  have  more  books  than  they 
can  read.     We  have  more  air  than  we  can 
breathe,  more  water  than  we  can  drink,  more 
food  than  we  can  eat  and  it  was  intended  that 
we  should  have,  and  it  is  just  the  same  with 
regard  to  books.     The  man  who  has  only  as 
many  books  as  he  can  read  is  not  properly  sup- 
plied. 

There  is  no  question  abou1  your  reading  these 
books.  When  you  start  in  to  read  them  you 
will  read  them  from  beginning  to  end.  Many 
people  become  so  much  interested  in  these 
books  upon  the  day  that  I  deliver  them  that 
they  do  not  go  to  bed  at  night  until  they  have 
completed  one  of  these  volumes.  Not  only  so. 
Scores  and  hundreds  of  people  read  them 


OBJECTIONS.  151 

over  again  and  again,  the  publishers  frequently 
receive  letters  from  persons  who  say  they 
have  read  their  book  five  and  six  times. 

530.  The  Crops  Are  a  Failure.— In  rural 
districts  farmers  are  forever  given  to  grumbl- 
ing about  the  crops.  When  they  have  an  av- 
erage crop  they  will  pronounce  it  a  bad  crop, 
or  a  complete  failure.  As  a  quite  general 
thing  the  farmers  use  this  simply  as  a  bluff 
with  which  to  escape  from  the  canvasser.  If, 
however,  the  canvasser  is  convinced  that  crops 
in  any  given  section  are  a  complete  failure,  he 
should  remember  that  this  is  a  big  country 
with  a  varied  climate  and  unlimited  resources. 
He  should  not  sit  down  and  starve  in  the  midst 
of  such  surroundings,  but  bestir  himself  and 
find  territory  where  conditions  are  different. 
Write  to  us  and  we  will  direct  you  in  this 
matter.  Crops  usually  fail  only  when  it  is 
too  wet  or  too  dry.  When  it  is  too  wet  in  the 
lowlands,  go  to  the  uplands.  If  it  is  too  dry 
on  the  uplands,  go  to  the  lowlands.  Favorable 
conditions  can  be  found  usually  within  a  few 
miles,  but  be  sure  never  to  change  the  terri- 
tory until  you  are  absolutely  certain  that  the 
complaint  is  not  a  mere  bluff,  but  founded  on 
actual  fact.  There  are  some  classes  of  crops 
which  require  wet  weather  and  there  are  other 
classes  which  require  dry  weather.  It  is  sel- 
dom that  the  weather  is  such  as  to  make  all 
crops  equally  productive  in  the  same  season. 
Unless  all  the  crops  are  a  failure,  do  not 
seek  new  territory. 


152  OBJECTIONS. 

531.  Orders  for  Miscellaneous  Books. — 
Persons  oftentimes  try  to  side-track  the  can- 
vasser and  defeat  his  purpose  by  inquiring 
whether  he  could  not  purchase  for  them  some 
particular  book  that  they  may  have  read  or 
heard  of.  In  the  majority  of  instances  this  is 
simply  a  subterfuge.  What  you  need  to  do,  is 
to  canvass  them  so  enthusiastically  that  they 
will  desire  your  books  more  than  any  other 
books  they  have  ever  read  or  heard  of.  You 
are  there  to  sell  the  books  in  the  Sell1  and 
Sex  Series,  and  not  to  take  orders  for  any 
other  books. 

It  is  well  enough  to  be  considerate  and  iren- 
tlemanly,  but  remember  that  to  order  a  book 
which  is  sold  through  the  trade  at  a  discount 
of  from  twenty  to  thirty  per  cent.,  and  then  to 
pay  the  postage  in  addition,  perhaps  for  mail- 
ing two  different  times,  would  give  you  ab- 
solutely no  compensation  for  your  trouble,  and 
when  you  came  with  the  book,  the  person 
might  possibly  decline  to  receive  it.  Take  no 
orders  for  any  books  except  the  books  in  the 
Self  and  Sex  Series. 


ORDERING  BOOKS.  153 

CHAPTER  XI. 
ORDERING  BOOKS. 

532.  Carefulness.— Only  careful,  painstak- 
ing persons— thoce  who  know  how  to  look 
after  every  little  detail— those  who  know  how 
to  think  first  and  act  afterward  can  expect  to 
be  successful  in  any  department  of  life.  These 
principles  are  essential  not  only  while  can- 
vassing, but  also  when  ordering  books.  Both 
time  and  money  are  saved  by  carefully  reading 
over  all  the  instructions  before  ordering.  The 
<  xtra  moments  given  to  a  careful  study  of 
every  detail  often  saves  not  only  days,  but 
weeks  of  delay  and  consequent  annoyance  and 
loss. 

533.  The  Filling  of  Orders.— As  far  as  pos- 
sible, orders  are  filled  and  shipped  upon  the 
day  of  their  receipt.  Our  supply  of  books  is 
always  adequate  for  the  largest  demands,  but 
as  large  numbers  of  orders  may  be  received 
by  a  single  mail,  it  is  sometimes  impossible  to 
fill  all  orders  upon  the  date  of  their  receipt. 
Canvassers  should  therefore  allow  a  sufficient 
time  for  such  delay  in  filling  orders.  Cases, 
or  boxes,  of  proper  size  must  also  always  be 
made  to  order,  so  that  the  books  may  be  ship- 
ped without  injury.  This  requires  several 
hours  and  must  be  allowed  for. 


154  ORDERJXC  KOOK8. 

534.  Order  Blanks. — When  ordering  books 
always  use  the  order  blanks  furnished  by  the 
company.     We  insist  upon  the  use  of  these 
order  blanks  in  all  instances.    "When  properly 
filled  they  insure  correct  attention  to  all  or- 
ders, assist  to  avoid  all  manner  of  mistakes, 
disappointments  and  delays.    They  are  a  great 
convenience  not  only  for  the  canvasser,  but 
an  important  safeguard  against  errors  by  ship- 
ping clerks.    They  are  essential  to  expedition, 
accuracy,  and  the  keeping  of  full  and  correct 
ivronls.     Write  your  name  and  full  shipping 
directions  with  great  distinctness  and  fill  every 
blank  space  as  indicated. 

535.  Modes  of  Shipment. — There  are  three 
modes  of  shipment:  By  mail,  by  express,  and 
by  freight.     Large  shipments  can   always  be 
sent  cheapest  by  freight,  but  time  sufficient 
must   be   allowed   for   transportation.     Small 
packages  can  be  sent  either  by  mail  or  ex- 
press.    The  expense  is  practically  the  same, 
and  one  is  about  as  quick  as  the  other.     Ex- 
pressage,    however,    is    the    safer    and    often 
times  more  swift. 

536.  Shipping    by    Mail. — Wlien    ordering 
books  to  be  sent  by  mail  always  include  in 
your  remittance  eight  cents  per  copy  for  post- 
ttire.     The  matter  of  postage  should  never  be 
omitted.     Such  an  oversight   necessitates   an- 
noyances,   involves    bookkeeping,    necessitates 
making  out  and  mailing  bills,  requires  the  en- 
tering of  small  credits,  and  involves  the  ex- 


ORDERING  BOOKS.  155 

pense  and  annoyance  of  sending  subsequent 
receipts.  The  weight  of  a  package  by  mail  is 
limited  to  four  pounds.  The  books  weigh 
about  one  pound  each.  When  the  order  is  for 
more  than  four  books  they  are  sent  in  two 
or  more  packages,  according  to  the  size  of  the 
order. 

537.  Shipping  by  Express. — Where  the  or- 
der is  for  two  or  more  books,  it  is  usually 
better  to  ship  by  prepaid  express,  rather  than 
by  mail.  When  books  are  delayed  in  transit 
in  the  mails  they  cannot  be  traced,  and  if  lost 
the  government  does  not  hold  itself  respon- 
sible. When  delayed  by  express  they  can  be 
readily  traced,  and  if  lost  the  express  com- 
pany is  responsible  for  the  cost  of  the  pack- 
age. Packages  of  four  pounds  or  less  can  be 
sent  by  express  at  much  less  cost  when  charges 
are  prepaid.  If  one  or  two  books  are  sent 
a  couple  of  hundred  miles  by  express  with 
charges  collect  the  express  company  charges 
the  recipient  25  cents.  If  the  expressaga  on 
three  or  more  books  is  prepaid  it  can 
be  sent  even  as  far  as  California  at  a  cost  of 
but  eight  cents  per  copy.  This  makes  a  large 
saving  for  the  canvasser.  Therefore  when  re- 
mitting and  ordering  books  by  express  always 
include  eight  cents  per  copy  in  order  to  secure 
this  reduced  rate.  Where  canvassers  fail  to 
include  this  amount,  the  package  will  be  sent 
with  the  charges  to  be  collected  at  their  end  of 
the  line.  When  books  in  small  quantities 
are  ordered  shipped  to  points  where  there  is 


156  ORDERING  BOOA'X. 

no  express  office,  they  will  be  sent  by  mail 
unless  otherwise  instructed  in  the  order.  A 
case  of  one  or  two  hundred  books  can  be  sent 
by  express  a  short  distance,  if  the  expi 
charges  are  prepaid  at  a  cost  of  from  one-half 
to  one  or  two  cents  per  copy.  As  the  express 
company  delivers  the  package  at  the  place 
to  which  it  is  addressed,  and  thus  saves  an- 
noyance and  cost  of  drayage,  for  short  dis- 
tances, shipping  by  express  is  frequently 
quicker,  more  satisfactory  and  no  more  ex- 
pensive. In  such  instances,  and  where  money 
has  been  sent  at  the  rate  of  eiirht  cents  per 
copy,  the  balance  will  be  returned  or  credited 
on  account,  according  to  circumstances. 

538.  0.  0.  D.  Shipments. — Canvassers  fre- 
quently order  their  books  sent  C.  0.  D.  (collect 
on  delivery)  when  they  simply  mean  that  the 
express    charges   are   to  be  collected   at  their 
end  of  the  line.     Goods  ordered  to  be  sent  C. 
0.   D.   are   accompanied   by  the   bill   for   the 
books  contained  in  the  package,  the  bill  and 
package  are  both  presented  at  the  same  time, 
and  the  goods  are  not  delivered  until  the  bill 
is  paid.    The  person  who  receives  these  goods 
has  not  only  to  pay  the  express  charges  on 
the  books  themselves,  but  also  the  cost  of  the 
express  charges  for  the  return  of  the  money  to 
the  publisher.     This  is  one  of  the  most  ex- 
pensive ways  of  ordering  books,  and  canvas- 
sers should  always  avoid  it,  if  possible. 

539.  By   Freight. — A   box   containing  less 


ORDERING  BOOKS.  157 

than  50  books  by  freight  is  liable  to  be  lost 
in  transit,  and  railroad  companies  gener- 
ally decline  to  receive  or  handle  small  pack- 
ages. Orders  for  50  copies  and  upward  can 
always  be  sent  cheapest  by  freight.  The  cost 
usually  varies  from  one-half  to  one  cent  per 
book  when  the  distance  does  not  exceed  a 
thousand  miles.  The  cost  from  Philadelphia 
to  the  Pacific  Coast  is  about  two  cents  per 
book. 

The  length  of  time  required  by  freight  is 
usually  about  one  week  to  ten  days  for  each 
thousand  miles.  Sometimes  more,  sometimes 
less. 

Notices  are  always  sent  to  the  canvasser 
upon  the  day  the  goods  are  shipped,  together 
with  the  bill  of  lading.  This  enables  the  can- 
vasser to  know  when  to  expect  the  shipment, 
and  the  bill  of  lading  identifies  the  canvasser 
at  the  freight  office  and  enables  him  to  secure 
the  goods  without  annoyance. 

540.  Delayed  Shipments. — When  shipments 
by  freight  are  delayed  more  than  twelve  days 
for  each  thousand  miles  of  the  distance  they 
are   to  travel  the  canvasser  should  write  or 
telegraph  us  and  we  will  at  once  send  a  tracer 
from  our  end  of  the  line.     This  is  often  an 
advantageous  method  of  discovering  goods  that 
have  been  delayed  by  being  sidetracked  along 
the  way. 

541.  Boxing  and  Drayage. — No  charge  is 
made  by  the  publishers  for  boxing  and  dray- 


158  ORDERING  BOOKS. 

age  at  this  end  of  the  line.  The  canvasser 
must  pay  express  or  freight  charges  and  any 
drayage  at  his  end  of  the  line.  There  is  no 
charge  for  delivering  express  packages  and 
drayage  on  freight  shipments  is  always  small. 

542.  While  Waiting.— Always  order  in  am- 
ple time.  Better  to  have  the  books  arrive  a 
day  or  two  in  advance,  rather  than  a  day  or 
two  late.  Even  fast  freight  oftentimes  moves 
very  slowly.  Alter  onlcrinir  your  books  do 
not  stop  work,  idle  away  your  time  or  h; 
around  the  depot  waiting  for  the  books  to  ar- 
rive. Leave  a  postal  card,  addressed  to  your- 
self, with  the  freight  agent  at  the  station 
where  your  books  are  to  arrive,  requesting 
him  to  notify  you  as  soon  as  they  are  re- 
ceived. Then  take  up  your  samples  and  go 
right  on  with  your  canvassing.  Call  on  tl. 
who  were  not  previously  at  home.  Canv; 
some  class  of  young  men,  Sunday-school  teach- 
ers, Bible  classes,  physicians,  teachers,  busi- 
ness men  or  others  who  may  have  been  over- 
looked. After  the  house  to  house  canvass, 
class  canvassing  oftentimes  pays  even  better. 
The  house  to  house  work  prepares  the  way 
and  the  class  canvassing  reaps  the  larger  re- 
sults. Remember  that  every  day  or  hour  wast- 
ed in  waiting  only  eats  up  the  profits  on  sales 
already  made.  The  canvassers  who  roll  up  the 
big  totals  at  the  end  of  each  week  are  those 
who  know  how  to  utilize  every  moment  of 
their  time.  They  never  waste,  they  never  eat 
up  their  profits,  but  constantly  roll  them  up 
by  adding  to  their  sales. 


ORDERING  BOOKS.  159 

543.  How  to  Send  Money. — It  is  always 
safest  and  best  to  send  money  by  post  office 
Money  Order,  Express  Money  Order,  or  bank 
draft.  Each  of  these  methods  safeguards  from 
loss.  Money  can  also  be  sent  by  registered 
mail  at  an  extra  cost  of  eight  cents  in  addi- 
tion to  regular  postage.  Money  enclosed  and 
sent  in  an  unregistered  letter  is  at  the  send- 
risk. 

544.  Handling  Large  Order  with  Small 
Capital. — It  is  always  w^ll  for  canvassers 
who  desire  to  acquire  good  methods  and  cor- 
rect business  habits  to  ?oek  to  conduct  all 
their  business  transaction?  without  asking  for 
credit  or  requesting  anyone  to  become  their 
"surety."  A  canvasser  ^rho  has  secured  or- 
ders for  400  or  500  books  and  who  can  com- 
mand only  about  $45  in  money  can  always 
manage  as  follows :  Make  up  a  list  of  75  books 
first  needed  for  delivery,  accompanying  the 
order  with  your  remittance  for  $45.  Upon 
receipt  of  the  same  we  will  at  once  send  for- 
ward Box  No.  1.  With  this  first  order  also 
inrlude  a  second  order  for  100  books  to  be  sent 
later  C.  0.  D-  in  Box  No.  2.  This  second  box 
will  be  shipped  speedily  after  the  shipment  of 
the  first  box. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  Box  No.  1  delivery  can 
be  made  and  the  money  will  then  be  in  hand 
to  pay  for  Box  No.  2.  With  the  money  al- 
ready received  you  can  go  to  the  bank  or  ex- 
press office  and  pay  the  draft  which  we  will 
draw  on  you  for  the  cost  of  Box  No.  2  through 


160  ORDERING  BOOKS. 

the  bank  or  express  company  in  harmony  with 
a  notice  which  we  will  mail  to  you  at  the  time 
of  sending  forward  the  second  shipment.  If 
the  shipment  is  by  freight  then  the  box  is 
sent  via  whatever  railroad  is  most  convenient, 
or  is  preferred  by  the  canvasser,  and  which  he 
should  always  be  sure  to  indicate  if  he  has 
any  preference.  The  box  is  shipped  addressed 
to  the  publishers  themselves,  while  the  bill  of 
lading  is  sent  forward  through  a  bank  or  ex- 
press company,  addressed  to  the  canvasser. 
Attached  to  this  bill  of  lading  is  a  bill,  with  a 
draft  on  the  canvasser  for  the  amount  due. 
When  this  draft  is  paid  the  express  company 
or  bank  will  deliver  to  the  canvasser  the  bill 
of  lading  which  has  already  been  endorsed  by 
the  publisher  instructing  the  railroad  com- 
pany to  deliver  the  box  to  the  canvasser  nam- 
ed and  upon  the  presentation  of  this,  together 
^vith  the  payment  of  the  freight  charges,  the 
freight  agent  will  deliver  the  shipment  or  any 
part  thereof  to  the  canvasser. 

By  the  time  you  have  delivered  the  con- 
tents of  Box  No.  2,  Box  No.  3  will  then  h 
arrived  C.  0.  D.  and  you  will  be  able  to  make 
prompt  payment  for  this  in  the  same  manner 
as  just  described.  After  that  you  will  be  able 
to  remit  with  your  orders,  or  to  pay  promptly 
C.  0.  D.  upon  the  receipt  of  the  various  sub- 
sequent boxes.  This  principle  can  be  applied 
in  handling  either  large  or  small  quantities  of 
books.  To  save  time  the  first  shipment  may 
be  made  by  express  at  a  higher  cost  for  car- 
riage charges. 


ORDERING  BOOKS.  161 

The  sending  forward  of  a  draft  and  bill  of 
lading  through  a  bank  is  attended  with  only 
trifling  expense,  and  oftentimes  no  expense  at 
all,  but  it  occasions  a  day  or  two  more  of 
delay  in  the  transmitting  of  both  the  draft  and 
the  return  of  the  money.  The  sending  of  the  bill 
of  lading  and  draft  through  the  express  com- 
pany involves  the  cost  of  expressage  to  the 
canvasser  and  another  charge  for  the  return  of 
the  money  from  the  canvasser  to  the  publisher, 
both  of  which  are  at  the  cost  of  the  canvasser. 

545.  Ordering  Books  Without  Money. — 
Where  an  agent  is  not  prepared  to  remit  the 
money  with  his  order  for  the  books,  we  can 
arrange  for  his  accommodation  in  the  follow- 
ing manner:  If  the  canvasser  assures  us  when 
sending  his  order  that  the  books  have  actually 
been  sold  we  are  willing  to  ship  the  books  by 
freight  or  express,  packing  them  in  assorted 
lots  as  desired  in  boxes  containing  100  copies 
each,  more  or  less  as  requested. 

If  shipped  by  express  they  are  sent  C.  0.  D. 
but  with  instructions  to  the  express  agent  to 
allow  the  canvasser  upon  payment  of  each 
separate  bill,  to  take  a  single  box  at  a  time. 

When  the  shipment  is  by  freight  we  mark 
them  to  any  freight  station  desired  and  in- 
dicated by  the  canvasser,  sending  them  ad- 
dressed to  the  Vir  Publishing  Company. 

We  number  each  box  with  corresponding  bill 
of  lading,  and  send  these  original  bills  of  lad- 
ing through  a  bank  or  express  company,  at  the 
same  time  instructing  the  bank  or  express 


162  ORDERING  BOOKS. 

agent  that  upon  the  payment  of  each  succes- 
sive draft,  each  successive  bill  of  lading  is 
to  be  delivered  by  him  to  the  canvasser.  On 
the  back  of  each  of  these  original  bills  of 
lading  there  is  an  order  instructing  the  freight 
agent  to  deliver,  upon  the  payment  of  the 
freight  charges,  one  corresponding  box  to  the 
canvasser.  This  enables  the  canvasser  to  ob- 
tain the  books  from  the  freight  office  in  easy 
instalments,  and  after  delivering  100  or  200 
books  the  canvasser  will  be  able  to  lift  all  the 
remaining  bills  of  lading,  if  he  so  desires,  ami 
thus  secure  all  the  remaining  cases  of  books 
at  one  time.  This  method  is  in  constant  use 
by  publishers  everywhere,  and  proven  sa 
factory  to  both  parties.  When  short  of  mo: 
it  is  not  difficult  for  a  canvasser,  even  among 
strangers,  to  secure  from  some  kind  person 
with  whom  he  has  become  acquainted,  a  loan 
suliicient  to  pay  the  amount  of  the  bill  when  it 
arrives.  He  should  always  be  both  able  and 
willing  to  show  the  party  who  is  to  make  the 
loan  that  he  has  already  sold  the  books  and 
simply  needs  the  accommodation  for  a  few 
days  until  he  can  deliver  the  books  and  re- 
turn the  money.  Canvassers  should  never 
abuse  such  a  kindness,  but  should  always  make 
due  recognition  of  his  appreciation,  should 
never  fail  to  keep  his  obligations  and  if  pos- 
sible he  should  repay  the  money  in  advance  of 
the  date  fixed.  If  the  amount  is  considerable, 
he  should  pay  it  in  instalments,  and  thus 
guard  against  the  possible  loss  of  the  money 
by  accident,  by  having  his  pocket  picked,  or 
in  any  other  manner. 


ORDERING  BOOKS.  163 


546.    Consignments  to  Another. — Where  a 
canvasser  has  secured  a  goodly  list  of  subscrib- 
ers, but  is  without  the  money  necessary  to  pay 
for  his  books  at  the  time  of  ordering,  he  can 
generally  arrange  to  secure  his  books  in  the 
following  manner :  Go  to  some  responsible  busi- 
ness man,  show  him  your  subscription  list,  ex- 
plain your  situation  and  request  him  to  loan 
you  the  money  so  that  you  can  remit  with  your 
order,  or  secure  his  promise  to  pay  the  draft 
at  the  bank  when  it  arrives  with  the  bill  of 
lading.    In  the  latter  instance  the  case  would 
be   shipped   addressed  to  the   Vir  Publishing 
Company,  the  bill  of  lading  would  be  endorsed 
by  us,  instructing  the  freight  agent  to  deliver 
the  books  to  the  person  who  had  made  pay- 
ment of  the  same,  and  whose  name  should  al- 
ways be  furnished  to  us  at  the  time  of  send- 
ing forward  the  order.    After  these  books  have 
been  delivered  to  him  he  will  consent  to  your 
taking  five,  ten  or  twenty  books  and  delivering 
them,  and  when  you  return  for  more  paying 
over  to  him  the  full  amount  of  $1.00  per  copy 
for  the  books  which  you  have  already  taken, 
and  thus  continue  to  pay  over  the  full  amount 
you  have  collected  until  he  has  been  fully  re- 
imbursed, when  you  could  remove  the  entire 
balance  of  books  on  hand  to  your  own  board- 
ing place  if  you  so  desired.    This  is  a  simple 
and  satisfactory  method.    It  occasions  no  risk 
whatever,  and  if  the  canvasser  is  thoughtful 
and  considerate,   as  he  ought   always  to  be, 
will  not  even  be  the  occasion  of  "annoyance 
to  the  person  who  befriends  him. 


164  ORDERING  BOOKS. 

In  all  instances  the  canvasser  should  give 
the  name  and  location  of  the  bank  through 
which  he  desires  the  draft  sent. 

547.  The  Cash  System.— All  subscription- 
book  houses  are  conducted  upon  a  cash  basis. 
Their  commissions  to  canvassers  are  larger 
than  those  regularly  allowed  on  any  other  line 
of  goods.  Their  own  margins  are  consequently 
smaller,  and  it  would  be  impossible  for  them 
to  give  credit  to  hundreds  of  strangers  scat- 
tered over  thousands  of  miles  of  country.  We 
have  not  the  slightest  hesitation  in  saying,  that 
the  great  mass  of  young  men  and  women,  and 
of  older  men  and  women  engaged  in  the  sale 
of  the  books  in  the  Self  and  Sex  Series  are  all 
people  of  exceptional  purpose,  honor  and  in- 
tegrity, but  nearly  all  are  without  business 
training.  They  are  very  generally  unacquaint- 
ed with  the  requirements  of  business  men,  and 
without  intend  HILT  to  do  so,  their  methods  often 
occasion  the  publisher  annoyance,  inconveni- 
ence and  serious  financial  loss. 

Every  young  person  when  starting  out  in  life 
should  resolve,  as  far  as  possible  to  be  inde- 
pendent of  the  financial  aid  of  others,  and  also 
to  learn  to  do  business  on  correct  business  prin- 
ciples. The  cash  method  of  doing  business  is 
the  only  correct  principle,  and  other  methods 
are  only  approximately  correct  in  proportion 
as  they  approach  the  cash  basis.  The  system 
among  large  business  houses  of  "cash  in  30 
days ' '  is  for  the  convenience  of  the  purchaser, 
so  as  to  enable  him  to  receive  his  goods  and 


ORDERING  BOOKS.  165 

check  up  the  bills  before  making  payment. 
All  responsible  business  houses  pay  their  bills 
with  the  regularity  and  promptness  of  clock- 
work, and  there  is  no  delay,  annoyance  or  in- 
convenience when  dealing  with  responsible 
business  houses.  They  know  what  correct 
business  methods  are,  and  they  conform  to 
them  rigidly. 

When  dealing  with  persons  unacquainted 
with  correct  business  methods,  the  experience 
is  very  different.  Many  regard  their  obliga- 
tions but  lightly.  When  the  books  are  deliv- 
ered and  the  money  collected  they  use  not  only 
the  amount  of  their  commissions,  but  the  por- 
tion which  belongs  to  the  publisher  and  which 
is  held  by  them  as  trust  funds,  and  the  use 
of  which  in  the  eyes  of  the  law  is  a  peniten- 
tiary offense;  they  neglect  to  remit  upon  the 
date  when  promised,  making  it  necessary  to 
send  frequent  bills,  and  above  all,  often  sub- 
ject the  publisher  to  the  humiliation  and  an- 
noyance of  sending  dunning  letters  and  also 
even  of  notifying  their  Surety. 

The  instruction  which  we  give  our  canvas- 
sers in  our  school  of  success  and  achievement 
includes  also  the  teaching  of  correct  business 
methods,  and  we  advise  every  canvasser,  as 
far  as  possible,  not  only  to  send  cash  with  his 
orders,  but  as  far  as  possible  to  avoid  borrow- 
ing or  asking  any  financial  favors  whatso- 
ever from  other  persons. 

Each  canvasser  should  seek,  not  only  in  his 
relation  with  the  publisher,  but  in  his  rela- 
tions to  every  one  else,  to  conduct  all  business 


166  ORDERING  BOOKS. 

end  all  of  his  personal  relations  with  fidelity, 
integrity  and  honor.  What  you  do  will  not 
only  affect  your  own  character,  but  also  the 
confidence  of  others  in  the  integrity  of  all  with 
whom  they  have  dealings.  The  dishonorable 
and  dishonest  always  make  it  more  diiliciilt 
for  the  honest  and  the  upright. 

548.  Our  Credit  Plan.— For  the  conveni- 
ence of  canvassers  who  have  but  limited  re- 
sources and  who  do  not  find  any  of  the  plans 
which  we  have  already  outlined  in  this  chapter 
suited  to  their  needs,  we  have  a  method  of 
granting  credit  to  those  who  file  with  us  a 
"  Surety  Blank M  properly  filled,  signed  and 
sworn  to  by  some  persons  of  good  financial 
standing.  A  simple  ' 'letter  of  recommenda- 
tion "  or  "references"  \\ill  not  answer,  for 
the  canvasser  in  each  particular  instance  miirht 
reasonably  be  assumed  to  be  honest  and  re- 
liable, but  persons  sometimes  become  sick,  or 
some  unexpected  misfortune  overtakes  them, 
and  to  cover  these  and  all  other  contingencies 
we  require  satisfactory  security  for  books 
which  are  shipped  to  the  canvasser  with  per- 
mission to  deliver  and  then  remit  promptly  to 
us  the  amount  of  our  bill.  Any  canvasser 
worthy  of  credit  will  have  no  difficulty  in  get- 
ting such  a  surety  blank  properly  signed  by 
some  person  at  his  home,  where  he  is  well- 
known.  Where  persons  cannot  secure  such 
endorsement  from  people  who  know  them  per- 
sonally and  intimately,  they  can  not  reason- 
ably ask  credit  from  a  publisher  who  is  en- 


ORDERING  BOOKS.  167 

tirely  unacquainted  with  them.  In  all  in- 
stances, if  it  is  necessary  to  ask  favors  or  bor- 
row money,  it  is  usually  best  to  do  so  at  your 
own  home  and  from  those  who  know  your 
character,  rather  than  from  strangers  at  a  long 
distance  who  do  not  know  you  personally. 

549.    Form  of  Surety. — The  verbal  form  of 
our  surety  is  as  follows: 

Register  No.  Surety  Blank.    The  Vir 

Publishing  Company,  1304  Land  Title  Build- 
ing, Philadelphia,  Pa.    This  is  to  certify  that 
of  State      of  is     personally 

known  to  me,  and  I  can  recommend  him  to  you 
as  straightforward,  honest  and  worthy  of  your 
confidence.  I  hereby  agree  to  be  responsible 
to  you  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  or  any  other  place 
designated  by  you,  for  the  payment  of  all  bills 
of  goods  ordered  by  him,  within  thirty  days 
from  date  of  shipment,  or  later  at  your  op- 
tion. 

I  hereby  represent  that  I  am  a  citizen  of 

State    of  by    occupation    a 

of  sufficient  age  and  competency  for  the  pur- 
pose herein  expressed,  and  that  I  own  real 
estate  in  the  county  of  State  of  to 

the  value  of  at  least  $1,000.00  over  and  above 
all  debts,  encumbrances  and  exemptions, 

Signed    this  day    of  190    . 

Name  P.    0.    address  county    of 

State  of 


108  ORDERING  BOOKS. 

State  of  county  of  ss. 

Before  me  this  day  of  190  ,  ap- 

peared who  acknowledged  that  he  exe- 

cuted the  foregoing  instrument  for  the  pur- 
pose therein  described.  Signed  Notary 
Public. 

N.  B.  This  surety  cannot  be  accepted  unless 
acknowledged  before  a  Notary  or  Justice  of  tin* 
Peace. 

Tiiis  form  of  surety  does  not  land  the  party 
who  signs  it  except  in  case  of  the  failure  or  re- 
fusal of  the  agent  to  pay  his  bills  according  to 
his  agreement  with  u<.  h  is  therefore  a  prac- 
tical iruarantee  to  us  that  the  ap-nt  stands 
well  iii  his  own  neighborhood  where  he  is  per- 
sonally known  and  that  he  is  deserving  of 
credit.  No  business  house  could  afford  to  do 
business  with  strangers  on  any  less  security 
than  this.  The  cat  -Imuld,  however, 

recognize  the  fact  that  where  this  surety  is 
properly  filled,  and  it  cannot  be  accepted  un- 
less it  is,  it  thoroughly  hinds  the  narty  to  the 
payment  of  the  canvasser's  financial  obliga- 
tion in  event  of  his  failure  or  refusal  to  do  so, 
and  his  surety  cannot  seek  to  escape  the  ob- 
ligation without  incurring  the  penalty  which 
attaches  to  the  obtaining  of  goods  under  false 
pretence. 

Where  the  canvassers  are  faithful  in  remit- 
ting to  us  promptly  the  money  collected  on 
books  delivered,  everything  will  move  along 
smoothly,  but  where  canvassers  fail  to  do  this, 
after  a  reasonable  period  the  surety  must  be 
notified  that  we  look  to  him  for  the  payment 


ORDERING  BOOKS.  169 

of  the  bill.  Such  a  course  ought  not  and  need 
not  ever  occur,  and  any  canvasser  who  makes 
such  a  course  necessary  has  no  one  but  him- 
self to  blame. 

Where  canvassers  intend  to  use  the  surety 
methods,  the  surety  blank  should  always  be 
placed  upon  file  with  the  publisher  at  least  ten 
days  or  two  weeks  in  advance  of  the  time 
when  the  canvasser  intends  to  place  his  first 
order.  This  is  necessary  to  enable  the  pub- 
lisher to  investigate  the  responsibility  of  the 
surety. 

550.  Length  of  Credit. — The  special  atten- 
tion of  the  canvasser  is  called  to  the  fact  that 
credit  is  allowed  on  each  bill  only  for  a  suf- 
ficient time  for  him  to  deliver  the  books  to 
his  subscribers  after  he  has  received  them. 
The  fact  that  his  surety  is  filed  with  us  does 
not  entitle  him  to  a  longer  period  of  credit 
than  one  week  from  the  receipt  of  the  goods. 

The  attention  of  the  canvasser  is  also  called 
to  the  item  in  his  contract  that  the  amount  of 
money  due  the  publisher  on  each  book  is  not  to 
be  used  by  the  canvasser,  but  is  to  be  held  by 
him  as  trust  funds  to  be  paid  over  to  the  Vir 
Publishing  Company  without  delay. 

551.  Credit  and  Failure. — An  unpaid  bill 
always  stands  in  the  way  of  an  agent's  suc- 
cess. The  mental  and  moral  effects  of  an  ov- 
erdue account  always  tend  to  defeat  the  can- 
vasser in  his  work,  and  usually  result  in  his 
dropping  the  work  altogether.  There  is  no 


170  ORDERING  BOOKS. 

surer  way  of  ruining  the  agent's  work  and  of 
driving  him  wholly  out  of  canvassing  than  by 
giving  him  credit  longer  than  is  necessary 
simply  to  deliver  his  books.  It  is  tin*  universal 
•erience  of  subscription  book  publishers  that 
the  effect  of  an  unpaid  bill  upon  the  mind  of 
a  canvasser  always  results  in  discouragement, 
dissatisfaction,  and  in  the  large  majority  of 
cases,  causes  them  to  quit  the  work  altogether. 
This  mental  effect  is  aptly  illustrated  by  the 
experience  of  a  successful  merchant  in  a  small 
town  in  the  State  of  New  York.  He  was 
customed  to  give  credit  to  many  responsible 
residents  of  that  section,  but  as  SHMU  as  any 
person  neglected  to  pay  his  bill  when  due,  the 
merchant  lost  no  time  in  suing  him.  One  day 
the  constable,  who  served  these  legal  papers, 
said  to  the  merchant,  "You  sue  more  peo- 
ple than  all  the  rest  of  the  merchants  in  town 
put  together.  You  will  make  enemies  of  all 
these  people  and  after  while  be  left  without 
any  customers. ' '  The  merchant  replied,  i  '  You 
do  not  understand  human  nature.  As  soon  as 
a  person  owes  a  bill  which  lie  should  have 
paid  he  universally  avoids  the  person  to  whom 
he  is  indebted.  So  long  as  these  people  owe 
me  they  will  come  to  town,  walk  past  my  store 
and  go  into  the  stores  of  my  competitors  and 
spend  their  good  money.  I  sue  them,  they  are 
angry  for  a  little  time,  but  soon  return.  I 
treat  them  as  though  nothing  had  happened, 
and  then  they  become  my  personal  friends 
and  my  regular  customers  for  the  remainder 
of  their  lives. " 


ORDERING  BOOKS.  171 

This  same  rule  holds  true  in  all  depart- 
ments of  business  activity,  canvassers  includ- 
ed. 


172  DELIVERING. 

CHAPTER  XIL 
DELIVERING. 

552.  Different   from   Canvassing. — The  art 
of  canvassing  is  one  thing,  the  art  of  deliver- 
ing is  another.    Any  person  who  can  canvass 
successfully    and   secure   orders   ought    to   be 
able  to  deliver  the  goods,  for  if  the  work  of 
canvassing  has  been  thoroughly  and  properly 
done  the  work  of  delivering  will  almost  uni- 
versally take  care  of  itself. 

553.  Successful  Delivering. — Judging  from 
the  testimony  of  canvassers  who  have  had  ex- 
perience   with    other   books    and    various    ar- 
ticles we  feel  perfectly  safe  in  saying  that  the 
canvassers  for  the   Self  and   Sex   Series  ex- 
perience   less    difficulty    in    delivering    these 
books  than  any  other  canvassers.    Quotations 
from  a  few  letters  will  demonstrate  this  point. 

"The  'Self  and  Sex  Series'  come  the  most 
nearly  selling  themselves  of  any  books  that  I 
have  ever  handled,  and  I  have  sold  over  $6,000 
worth  of  subscription  books.  In  delivering  I 
had  no  trouble  in  disposing  of  more  than  I 
had  orders  for,  which  was  not  true  with  any 
other  book."— Oscar  Woods. 

"In  four  weeks  I  sold  five  hundred  books, 
lacking  only  a  few  copies.  I  usually  averaged 
twenty  books  a  day,  and  one  day  sold  twenty- 


DELIVERING.  173 

nine.  My  subscribers  all  realized  the  value  of 
the  books,  were  anxious  to  receive  them,  and 
I  delivered  a  hundred  or  more  books  a  day. 
Instead  of  being  unpleasant,  the  work  of  de- 
livering was  one  of  the  pleasantest  parts  of 
my  work." — C.  Homer  Scovell. 

"The  really  enjoyable  side  of  the  work 
with  the  books  in  the  Self  and  Sex  Series  is 
the  actual  handing  out  of  the  books  to  the 
customer,  for  upon  doing  this  one  feels  at  first 
hand  the  great  good  he  is  doing." — S.  A. 
Reeser. 

"I  delivered  my  books  in  Fenton,  Wednes- 
day. Lost  no  orders,  sold  three  extra  and 
hired  a  school  teacher  who  was  inspired  by 
the  work."— W.  R.  Stephens. 

"Last  Wednesday  I  delivered  50  books  and 
took  orders  for  16  more  while  delivering," — 
G.  S.  Nason. 

' '  Since  writing  you  I  went  to  Cottage  Grove 
and  Saginaw  to  fill  the  97  orders  taken  in  one 
week.  Seven  failed,  but  I  sold  six  new  ones, 
and  to-day  received  an  order  for  six  more, 
making  102  in  one  week.  That  is  not  bad." — 
J.  J.  Handsaker. 

"Beside  the  92  orders  taken  in  30  hours  last 
week  I  have  delivered  and  collected  for  100 
books  previously  sold,  and  not  a  cancellation. 
It  is  the  greatest  pleasure  to  deliver;  the  books 
please  so  well  and  the  collections  are  so  uni- 
versally good." — H.  E.  Merritt. 

"The  last  eleven  days  of  my  canvass  I  took 
orders  for  150  books,  everyone  of  which  I  de- 
livered. "—Earl  B.  Day. 


174  DELIVERING. 

"I  delivered  135  books  yesterday  and  did 
not  lose  one  order. " — E.  L.  Wertheim. 

The   reason   probably   why  persons   experi- 
enced in  the  sale  and  delivery  of  the  bo- 
the  Self  and  Sex  Series  meet  with  no  difficulty 
whatever  is,  not  only  because  the  books  are  of 
exceptional  merit,  but  also  because  expcr- 
canvassers  know  how  to  avoid  conditions  which 
would    cause    others    inconvenience.      To    ac- 
quaint the  inexperienced  with  these  principles 
it   is  important    to   discuss    the   whole   si; 
and  point  out  such   difficulties  as  may  occa- 
sionally arise.     As   a   rule  you   will    tind   the 
people  honorable,  and  always  ready  to  receive 
and   pay   for  their  books   as   agreed,   and   with- 
out complaint,  for  subscribers  are  almost  al- 
ways glad  to  get  them. 

554.  Mental  Attitude. — As  in  canva 
there  is  a  psychological  moment  best  suited  to 
the  closing  of  an  order,  so  in  delivering  there 
is  a  psychological  or  mental  attitude  upon  the 
part  of  the  canvasser  best  suited  to  secure  the 
prompt,  successful  and  satisfactory  delivery 
of  the  books  for  which  he  has  taken  the  or- 
ders. When  closing  the  order,  the  mental  at- 
titude of  the  customer  determines  the  psycho- 
logical moment.  When  delivering,  the  mental 
attitude  of  the  canvasser  determines  the  re- 
sult. 

Approach  the  house  not  only  hopefully,  but 
confidently  and  even  positively.  Let  there  be 
no  shadow  of  doubt  in  your  own  mind.  Your 
mental  attitude  is  all  important.  If  your  cus- 


DELIVERING.  175 

tomer  manifests  hesitation  or  uncertainty  let 
it  be  a  surprise  to  you,  and  let  your  customer 
discover  your  surprise  upon  your  face  rather 
than  in  your  words.  Even  where  hesitation  is 
expressed  there  is  not  one  place  in  ten  where 
the  delivery  cannot  be  successfully  made  with- 
out the  slightest  inconvenience  or  delay. 

555.  Personal  Bearing. — Approach  the 
house  in  a  brisk,  business-like  manner.  Let 
the  step  be  firm  and  quick.  Remember,  how- 
ever, that  your  mental  attitude  will  be  mani- 
fest in  every  movement  of  your  body,  in  your 
looks,  in  your  voice  and  will  also  largely  de- 
termine the  result  of  your  visit  upon  the  mind 
of  your  customer. 

When  canvassing,  you  must  use  as  much 
time  as  is  necessary  in  order  to  impress  your 
customer  with  the  importance  and  value  of 
the  books  in  order  to  secure  the  subscription. 
When  you  are  delivering,  expedition  is  the 
rule.  Use  no  more  time  than  is  absolutely 
necessary  to  deliver  the  books,  to  secure  your 
money,  obtain  any  additional  subscriptions, 
to  say  such  impressive  things  concerning  the 
books  as  will  interest  the  customer  in  read- 
ing them  as  early  as  possible,  and  also  to  so- 
licit their  commendation  of  the  books  to  their 
friends.  Seek  to  make  your  subscribers  co- 
workers  in  extending  the  circulation  of  the 
books  and  the  influence  of  the  teachings  which 
they  contain. 

As  soon  as  you  enter  the  house  let  your  cus- 
tomer immediately  feel  that  you  are  in  a  hurry. 


176  DELIVERING. 

Under  no  ordinary  circumstances  ever  sit 
down.  Upon  entering,  if  asked  to  take  a  seat, 
reply,  "  Thank  you,  but  this  is  a  very  busy 
day.  I  have  a  large  number  of  books  to  de- 
liver. My  customers  are  waiting  and  it  will 
keep  me  very  busy  to  accomplish  what  I  have 
to  do."  If  the  person  should  insist  upon  yo in- 
being  seated  while  they  go  to  get  the  money, 
even  under  such  circumstances  it  is  ordinarily 
best  to  remain  standing.  If  you  sit  down  you 
dissipate  the  idea  of  hurrying  both  in  the  ir.ind 
of  your  customer  and  in  your  own  mind.  What 
you  want  is  to  complete  the  delivery  and  as  [ 
have  just  said,  have  the  person  prize  their  pur- 
chase, secure  additional  orders  if  you  can  for 
a  subsequent  delivery,  and  enlist  the  subscrib- 
er's co-operation  in  interesting  her  friends 
so  that  you  may  secure  a  subscription  from 
them  also. 

Where  a  customer  seeks  to  evade  accept- 
ance of  the  book,  manifest  your  surprise,  but 
remain  in  the  most  gracious  mental  attitude. 
Never  for  one  moment  relax  your  sense  of 
certainty,  or  your  positive  conviction  in  their 
acceptance  of  the  order.  Tell  them  that  you 
ordered  the  book  in  good  faith  upon  their  per- 
sonal order,  that  you  have  been  at  the  trouble 
and  expense  of  ordering  the  book  and  every 
subscriber  is  expected  to  take  the  book  which 
he  has  ordered. 

556.  The  Two  Levels. — If  a  person  should 
be  overbearing  and  irritating  in  his  or  her 
manner,  never  for  one  moment  lose  your  com- 


DELIVERING.  177 

posure  or  descend  to  their  level.  Recognize 
the  fact  that  as  between  you  and  the  cus- 
tomer, they  occupy  one  level,  and  you  occupy 
another.  If  you  descend  to  their  level  you 
are  descending  to  a  battle  ground.  Upon  this 
fighting  level  unreason  must  be  met  by  un- 
reason; hasty  speech  by  hasty  speech;  irritat- 
ing remarks  by  counter  irritating  remarks; 
anger  upon  the  part  of  the  customer  by  an- 
ger upon  the  part  of  the  canvasser.  Just  as 
sure  as  the  canvasser  descends  to  this  level, 
which  is  the  only  level  that  a  customer  who  de- 
clines to  accept  the  books  can  logically  oc- 
cupy, just  so  surely  is  the  canvasser  likely  to 
meet  not  only  with  such  irritation  as  will  unfit 
him  for  his  subsequent  deliveries  in  neighbor- 
ing houses,  but  with  defeat  in  the  delivery  of 
the  book  to  the  customer  with  whom  he  con- 
tends. Maintain  your  composure,  your  digni- 
ty, your  sense  of  justice  and  equity.  Rest 
upon  your  rights  under  the  contract  which 
these  people  have  made  with  you.  Compel 
them  to  meet  you  on  your  level  and  your  suc- 
cess is  assured.  If  they  come  up  to  your  level 
your  victory  is  won.  If  you  descend  to  their 
level  your  defeat  is  assured.  The  principles 
which  underlie  this  paragraph  are  worthy  of 
the  elaboration  of  an  entire  chapter.  Let  them 
be  deeply  impressed  upon  the  canvasser's 
mind. 

557.    Insistent  Cases.— There  are  instances 
when  the  canvasser  is  fully  justified  in  being 
somewhat  insistent.    When  the  subscriber  be- 
ll 


178  DELIVERING. 

gins  to  excuse  herself  or  to  beg  for  further 
time  the  canvasser  is  justified  in  saying,  "I 
am  sorry,  Mrs.  Smith,  if  I  inconvenience  you 
in  this  matter,  but  you  will  remember  that  you 
assured   me    when    you    subscribed    that    this 
would  be  a  convenient  time  for  you  to  rec< 
the  book,  and  I  have  made  my  arrangeim 
accordingly,  relying  upon  what  you  said   at 
that  time." 

Sometimes  where  they  seek  to  evade  or 
beg  off  it  is  well  to  cut  them  short  by  saying, 
"You  gave  me,  Mrs.  Smith,  your  order,  and 
presuming  that  you  are  a  person  of  your  word, 
I  ordered  the  book  for  you  from  my  publisher, 
and  you  would  not  surely  desire  me  to  stand 
the  loss." 

Where  parties  do  not  have  the  money  the 
first  time  you  call  and  they  name  some  subse- 
quent hour  or  day,  request  them  to  leave  the 
money  with  some  member  of  the  family  if 
they  themselves  should  be  absent  at  the  time 
you  call,  so  that  you  may  not  lose  further 
time. 

558.  Legally    Bound. — In    rare    instances 
where  the  customer  is  unreasonable,  unfair  and 
unjust,  it  may  be  wise  in  a  judicious  manner 
to  remind  them  that  they  are  bound  not  only 
morally,    but   legally   by   the   contract   which 
they  have  signed,  the  same  as  by  any  other 
contract.     Such  a  suggestion  usually  has  its 
salutary  effect. 

559.  Where  the  Money  Is  not  m  Hand.— 


DELIVERING.  179 

In  some  instances  where  objections  are  made 
to  the  reception  of  the  book,  it  is  due  to  the 
fact  that  the  people  actually  do  not  have  the 
money  in  hand  with  which  to  make  payment. 
They  are  not  likely  to  meet  you  frankly  in  the 
beginning  and  state  this  fact,  but  you  discover 
this  to  be  the  fact  in  a  moment  or  two.  This 
difficulty  can  often  be  overcome  by  suggesting 
that  they  borrow  it  from  their  neighbor.  In 
many  instances  they  will  accept  this  sugges- 
tion and  act  upon  it.  In  other  instances, 
where  the  statement  has  not  been  truthfully 
made,  they  will  go  to  the  tea-cup  in  the  pan- 
try or  to  the  bureau  in  their  bed-room  and  get 
the  money  and  pay  you.  If,  however,  the  sub- 
scriber is  thoroughly  honest,  the  money  is  not 
at  hand  and  they  cannot  borrow,  then  the 
next  best  thing  for  you  to  do  is  to  ask  them  to 
suggest  a  date  when  they  can  pay  for  the  books. 
The  date  of  the  next  pay-day  will  usually  be 
convenient,  or  it  may  be  made  to  fit  into  the 
date  of  your  next  delivery.  It  is  always  well, 
however,  to  raise  the  question  what  date  will 
suit  them,  so  that  they  may  not  have  reason 
for  excuse  when  you  call  again.  Never  leave 
the  book  until  you  have  the  money. 

560.  Dates  of  Delivery.— When  making  the 
canvass  it  is  not  always  wise  to  intimate  that 
you  have  three  or  four  dates  for  delivery.  It 
is  usually  best  to  name  but  one,  and  then  not 
to  name  a  second  date  until  you  find  that  the 
first  date  would  be  unsatisfactory.  If  in  your 
first  canvass  you  name  several  dates,  then 


180  DELIVERING. 

when  you  come  to  deliver,  persons  are  likely  to 
decline  to  accept  their  books  when  first  of- 
fered, at  the  same  time  suggesting  that  you 
should  call  when  you  make  some  later  de- 
livery. If  they  do  not  know  that  you  have 
other  dates  of  delivery  in  the  same  city  or  in 
the  same  neighborhood,  it  will  not  occur  to 
them  to  defer  the  date  of  delivery.  Sometimes 
it  may  even  be  well  to  suggest  that  the  book 
may  be  left  with  a  friend  who  should  pay  for 
it  with  the  privilege  of  reading  it,  and  they 
pay  the  friend  later  and  then  take  the  book 
themselves. 

It  is  a  good  point  to  get  the  consent  of  your 
subscriber  to  the  time  of  delivery.  Say  to 
her,  "Mrs.  Smith.  I  want  t<>  deliver  your  bonk 
about  .  Will  that  suit  your  conveni- 
ence T"  She  will  nearly  always  say,  "Yes." 
Then  when  you  come  to  deliver  if  an  attempt 
is  made  to  defer  the  delivery  you  can  remind 
her  of  her  promise.  You  can  say,  "Why, 
Mrs.  Smith,  you  told  me  when  I  took  your  or- 
der that  it  would  be  convenient  for  you,  and 
of  course  I  depended  on  what  you  said."  This 
will  place  her  upon  her  honor  and  help  you 
in  making  the  delivery. 

561.  About  Definite  Dates.— When  fixing  a 
date  for  delivery  it  is  not  wise  to  name  a  de- 
finite day.  It  is  always  well  to  say  "about" 
such  a  date.  If  you  name  a  definite  day  and 
fail  to  deliver  upon  that  day,  they  may  take 
advantage  of  the  fact  that  you  did  not  come 
just  the  day  and  hour  specified.  You  can  say 


DELIVERING.  181 

that  you  expect  to  deliver  the  books  about  the 
first  of  May,  or  the  middle  of  June,  or  about 
the  first  of  July;  that  you  will  have  a  large 
number  of  books  to  deliver  and  cannot  name 
any  exact  date. 

It  is  well  to  be  cautious  against  naming  the 
last  of  a  certain  month.  The  delay  of  a  day  or 
two  in  the  receipt  of  your  books  might  throw 
the  whole  delivery  into  the  following  month. 
This  is  liable  to  create  the  idea  in  the  mind 
of  your  subscriber  that  you  are  an  entire 
month  late,  that  you  are  not  coming  at  all,  and 
they  will  therefore  use  the  money  and  conse- 
quently be  unprepared  for  you  when  you  come. 
Therefore  the  first  of  a  month  is  better  than 
the  last  few  days  of  a  month. 

562.  Do  a  Strictly  Cash  Business. — Never 
deliver  books  without  securing  payment  at  the 
time.  If  the  people  do  not  have  the  money 
do  not  leave  the  book.  Never  leave  the  book 
and  accept  a  promise  of  payment  at  some  fu- 
ture date.  Retain  the  book,  deliver  it  upon  that 
date,  and  get  your  money.  Never  accept  prom- 
issory notes ;  they  will  occasion  you  annoyance, 
loss  of  time  and  usually  loss  of  money  also.  It 
is  easier  to  go  out  and  do  new  canvassing,  for 
it  takes  less  time  to  sell  a  book  to  a  new  cus- 
tomer, than  it  does  to  collect  for  an  unpaid 
book  from  an  old  customer. 

Never  deposit  books  anywhere  to  be  called 
for  either  with  or  without  appointment.  Few 
subscribers  would  ever  call,  no  matter  how 
good  their  present  intentions,  or  how  strong 


182  DELIVERING. 

their  assurances  that  they  will  do  so.    As  far 
as   possible   always   do   your  own   delivering. 
No  one  can  deliver  as  successfully  as  tin 
son  who  did  the  canvassing1  and  took  ti 
der. 

563.  Postal  Card  Notices. — Some  canvas- 
sers prefer  to  send  a  postal  card  notice  to  the 
subscribers  apprising  them  that  the  books  have 
been  received,  and  when  they  expert  to  make 
the  delivery.  Other  canvassers  prefer  to 
no  postal  card  notices.  The  postal  card  method 
has  both  its  advantages  and  disadvantages. 
\\  here  the  subscriber  is  honest  a  notice  that 
the  canvasser  is  likely  to  come  with  their 
book  will  oftentimes  cause  them  to  remain  at 
home  when  otherwise  they  might  be  al» 
will  enable  them  to  have  the  exact  change 
ready  and  receive  the  book  without  delay  to 
the  canvasser.  Dishonest  persons  may  take 
advantage  of  the  notice,  and  either  be  absent 
from  home  or  pretend  to  be,  or  if  they  are  at 
home  and  do  not  desire  to  receive  the  book, 
then  to  prepare  themselves  in  advance  with 
such  objection  as  they  think  will  be  effective 
in  defeating  the  canvasser. 

Where  postal  card  notices  are  used  both 
the  name  of  the  book  and  the  price  to  be  paid 
should  be  carefully  omitted.  The  first  might 
not  be  agreeable  to  the  subscriber,  and  the 
second  might  be  construed  as  an  offense  against 
the  laws  with  regard  to  sending  bills  and  no- 
tices of  indebtedness  upon  postal  cards.  The 
following  form  might  be  suggested  as  prac- 
tical : 


DELIVERING.  183 

Greeting:  I  have  received  from  the  publish- 
ers the  book  which  you  ordered  from  me  some 
time  ago.  I  expect  to  deliver  the  same  to 
you  to-morrow  or  the  day  following.  When 
delivering  I  am  always  very  much  hurried 
and  I  always  greatly  appreciate  where  the 
subscriber  can  have  the  exact  change  when  I 
call,  so  as  to  avoid  any  delay,  as  I  shall  have 
a  large  number  of  books  to  deliver  on  that 
day. 

Yours  respectfully, 

Copies  of  this  or  a  similar  mailing  card,  not 
stamped,  suitably  printed  and  necessary  only 
to  be  signed  by  the  canvasser  can  be  secured 
from  the  publisher  at  a  cost  of  25  cents  a 
hundred  post  free,  the  remittance  for  the 
cards  always  to  accompany  the  order  from  the 
canvasser. 

564.  Time  Required  to  Deliver. — The  can- 
vasser should  remember  that  after  all  he  is  a 
canvasser,  and  that  the  matter  of  delivering 
books  is  only  incidental  to  that  work.  He 
should  therefore  always  seek  to  arrange  for 
his  deliveries  in  such  a  way  that  they  will  re- 
quire the  least  possible  amount  of  time.  If 
he  can  use  the  odds  and  ends  of  time,  so  much 
the  better.  Where  an  entire  day  is  devoted 
to  the  work  the  canvasser  should  readily  de- 
liver one  hundred  books,  or  even  many  more. 
A  canvasser  should  always  remember  that 
many  additional  orders  can  be  secured  from 
persons  to  whom  he  is  delivering  books.  Names 
can  be  secured  of  the  personal  friends  of 


184  DELIVERING. 

purchasers  and  others,  to  whom  books  can  be 
sold.  A  wise  and  wide-awake  canvasser  can 
frequently  sell  as  many  books  when  devoting 
an  entire  day  to  delivering,  as  if  he  were  de- 
voting an  entire  day  to  canvassing.  He  can 
not  only  glean,  but  reap  large  results  when 
delivering. 

565.  Lay  Out  Your  Work  Before  Beginning. 
— A  canvasser  should  always  carefully  study 
a  city,  village  or  country  district  and  so  ar- 
range all  of  his  routes  that  he  need  not  lose 
time  by  doubling  his  tracks.  This  ran  bo  done 
the  night  before  in  your  room.  This  is  espec- 
ially important  when  one  is  delivering  and  thf. 
man  who  neglects  to  do  it  loses  much  valuable 
time. 

565-A.  Successful  Delivering  sums  itself  up 
in  these  few  words,  "  Goods  well  sold  are  u 
good  as  delivered/*  lu-m-i'  the  importance  of 
seeing  to  it  that  each  customer  understands 
clearly  at  the  time  of  purchase  exactly  \\hat 
they  have  bought.  Always  leave  the  impres- 
sion that  they  have  bought  outright,  and  not 
simply  have  given  you  a  conditional  order. 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  185 

CHAPTER  XHI. 
IMPORTANT    GENERAL    SUGGESTIONS. 

566.  Physical  Culture. — After  a  thorough 
understanding   of   the   books  themselves   and 
complete  mastery  of  all  the  instructions,  noth- 
ing else  is  more  important  to  the  success  of 
the  canvasser  than  the  matter  of  physical  cul- 
ture.    The  work  of  canvassing  makes  large 
demands    upon    the    physical    resources    and 
nervous  energies  and  no  man  can  accomplish 
the  largest  results  without  careful  attention  to 
the  keeping  of  the  physical  powers  up  to  their 
very  best.    What  is  said  in  Chapter  IV  upon 
physical   preparation,   and   the   aid   which   is 
brought  to  the  canvasser  in  the  supplement  in 
this   book   on   physical   culture,   needs  to   be 
carefully  and  thoroughly  studied  and  applied. 
In  no  other  way  can  the  highest  degree  of  ef- 
ficiency as  a  canvasser  be  secured. 

567.  Conscientious  Work.— If  you  were  a 
farm  hand  or  a  merchant  you  would  work  from 
ten  to  twelve  hours  a  day,  if  a  mechanic  from 
eight  to  ten  hours,  and  you  would  not  stop  for 
rainy  days  or  because  of  indisposition,  and 
why  should  you  not  devote  yourself  as  con- 
scientiously to  the  work  of  canvassing,  which 
promises  larger  financial  returns  for  yourself 
and  greater  blessings  for  those  in  whose  in- 
terest you  labor. 


186  GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

5G8.  That  Tired  Feeling. — Canvassers  per- 
haps more  than  any  other  class  of  people  are 
subject  to  frequent  and  oftentimes  violent  at- 
tacks by  that  microbe  known  as  "that  tired 
feeling/7  They  are  especially  susceptible  to 
an  attack  the  morning  following  a  day  of  in- 
different success.  It  even  frequently  attacks 
a  canvasser  the  morning  following  the  day 
which  marks  the  achievement  of  his  largest 
success.  There  is  but  one  safeguard  against 
the  attack  of  this  microbe  and  that  is  to  have 
a  fixed  hour  in  the  morning  for  beginning  the 
work,  and  then  to  begin  as  promptly  and  con- 
scientiously as  if  you  were  a  bank  president. 
It  is  a  good  thing  to  retire  early  in  the  even- 
ing, arise  at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  de- 
vote ten  minutes  to  physical  culture,  and  then 
so  dispose  your  time  that  you  can  devote  a  half 
hour  to  a  conscientious  study  of  the  canvasser's 
instructions,  and  another  half  hour  to  the 
reading  of  a  chapter  in  one  of  the  books  them- 
sidves.  And  then  at  the  time  appointed,  be- 
gin on  the  minute  as  faithfully  as  if  you  were 
to  catch  a  train,  or  had  an  appointment  with 
the  President  of  the  United  States. 

569.  Rainy  Days. — The  song  truthfully  says 
"some  days  must  be  dark  and  cold  and 
dreary "  and  "into  each  life  some  rain  must 
fall."  No  one  likes  rainy  days  or  bad  weath- 
er, but  for  the  wise  and  energetic  canvasser 
such  days  are  often  his  very  best.  In  the 
country  on  such  days  farmers  have  more  leis- 
ure, in  town  merchants  and  others  are  less  oc- 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  187 

cupied,  and  in  cities  professional  people  and 
all  classes  are  not  as  much  besieged,  and  con- 
sequently have  more  leisure  and  can  the  bet- 
ter afford  the  canvasser  an  attentive  hearing. 
On  bright,  pleasant,  sunny  days  people  are 
oftentimes  away  from  home,  but  on  rainy  days 
you  are  quite  sure  to  find  them  at  home.  A 
pair  of  overshoes,  an  umbrella  and  an  abun- 
dance of  sunshine  which  an  energetic,  earnest 
and  enthusiastic  canvasser  can  always  carry 
with  him  in  the  homes  of  the  people,  will,  upon 
such  days,  always  make  himself  more  welcome 
because  of  the  good  cheer  which  he  brings 
with  him. 

570.  Everlastingly  at  It. — The  most   suc- 
cessful men  in  every  department  of  life,  as 
well  as  in  canvassing,  are  not  generally  those 
who  have  the  largest  amount  of  natural  gen- 
ius,  the  greatest  ability  or  the  finest  educa- 
tion, but  they  are  the  people  who  value  their 
time,  work  with  all  their  might  and  are  ever- 
lastingly at  it.    They  are  the  people  who  put 
their  whole  soul  into  their  work,  and  they  get 
a  splendid  character  and  a  grand  success  out 
of  it.    They  make  life  worth  the  living. 

571.  Be    Systematic.— Make  some  system- 
atic  division  of  your  time.     Use  eight  solid 
hours  for  sleep,  eight  solid  hours  for  canvass- 
ing and  that  will  leave  you  eight  hours  out  of 
the  twenty-four  for  recreation,  reading,  letter 
writing  and  such  preparation  as  your  wor 
requires. 


188  GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

572.  Do  Not   Canvass  too   Fast. — Be  cau- 
tious not  to  canvass  too  rapidly.  In  towns  and 
cities  you  should  allow  one  week  for  each  one 
thousand  inhabitants.    Thorough  work  cannot 
be  done  in  less.     The  man  who  undertakes  to 
canvass  forty  or  fifty  families  a  day  is  sim- 
ply preparing  the  way  for  the  success  of  the 
canvasser  who  comes  after  him. 

573.  Do   Thorough   Work.— Make   a   thor- 
ough  canvass   of  every   street,   every   house, 
every  work-shop,  mill,  factory,  store  and  of- 
fice.    Canvass    every   class — teachers,    physi- 
cians, preachers,  lawyers,  members  of  Young 
Men's  Christian  Associations,  Women's  Ch 
tian   Temperance   Unions,    all   Bible   Classes, 
Sunday-school  teachers,  and  people  of  ex- 
other    class.        While    the    intelligent    middle 
class  are  usually  the  best  purchasers,  do  not 
-li.ufht  the  wealthy,  to  them  you  can  frequently 
sell  an  entire  set  of  books  for  purposes  of 
reference   on   the   shelves   of   their   library— 
neither  pass  by  the  humble  poor.     Many  ex- 
cellent people  sometimes  live  in  humble  houses 
in  order  that  they  may  better  economize  and 
have  the  means  to  secure  the  best  intellectual 
advantages.      Canvass    the   married    and   un- 
married, both  men  and  women,  young  and  old, 
but  never  canvass  young  boys  or  young  girls. 
Our   books    should    always   come   to   children 
through  the  hands  of  their  parents. 

If  it  seems  to  you  that  you  are  taking  a 
great  deal  of  time  to  get  over  the  assigned 
territory,  never  mind,  take  all  the  time  it  re- 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  189 

quires  to  do  thorough  work.  If  you  are  can- 
vassing in  a  country  district  by  the  use  of  a 
bicycle  remember  that  it  is  not  your  cyclom- 
eter, but  your  subscription  book  that  tells  what 
you  are  accomplishing.  Give  as  much  time  to 
each  family  as  is  necessary,  if  it  requires  an 
entire  hour. 

574.  What  Is  Thorough  Work.— A  few 
days  ago  an  experienced  canvasser  when 
choosing  territory  preferred  a  city  where  the 
canvass  was  just  being  completed.  One  of  the 
canvassers  was  still  on  the  territory.  A  few 
days  later  he  reported  that  he  had  followed  in 
the  wake  of  one  of  the  canvassers  and  that  he 
had  sold  eleven  books  in  the  first  nine  houses 
at  which  he  called. 

The  following  quotations  show,  not  theories, 
but  results  of  actual  work.  These  are  a  few 
from  many  scores  of  letters  which  could  be 
quoted : 

"I  worked  twelve  days,  made  118  canvasses, 
sold  196  books/'— R.  B.  Kellog. 

"For  a  while  to-day  I  followed  behind  a 
canvasser  of  another  publishing  house  and 
sold  five  books  in  four  of  the  homes  where  the 
other  canvasser  had  just  left  without  selling 
a  single  copy."— B.  S.  Clifford. 

"I  have  averaged  two  books  to  every  three 
canvasses." — E.  H.  Cressy. 

"Mr.  S.  A.  Reeser,  who  has  been  steadily 
engaged  in  the  sale  of  our  books  for  a  consid- 
erable period  and  who  does  very  conscientious 
and  thorough  work  and  may  be  accepted  as  a 


190  GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

standard  for  emulation,  has  made  the  follow- 
ing sales:  In  Franklin,  Pa.,  with  a  population 
of  7,300,  sold  550  books;  Oil  City,  Pa.,  popula- 
tion 13,200,  sold  800  books;  Bradford,  Pa,,  pop- 
ulation 15,000,  sold  1,050  books;  Jamestown, 
New  York,  population  22,800,  sold  -'.-<"> 
books;  Warren,  Pa.,  population  8,000, 
1,600  books. 

Taking  these  five  places  with  an  aggregate 
population  of  66,300  and  a  total  sale  of  6,250 
books,  the  average  sale  to  the  population  is 
about  one  copy  to  each  ten  inhabitants,  count- 
ing men,  women  and  children. 

575.  An  Appeal  to  the  Philanthropic. — 
People  are  oftentimes  interested  not  only  in 
purchasing  a  set  or  two  of  the  books  for  loan 
purposes,  but  also  in  purchasing  the  books 
in  quantity  for  donation  purposes.  Teachers 
of  Bible  classes  and  others  often  purchase  a 
copy  of  a  suitable  book  for  each  person  in 
their  class.  Hon.  J.  J.  H.  Gregory,  of  Marble- 
head,  Massachusetts,  ex-member  of  the  Senate 
of  Massachusetts,  purchased  and  gave  away 
more  than  1,300  copies  of  these  books.  Other 
persons  have  purchased  them  in  quantities  for 
the  same  purpose.  Many  have  purchased 
scores  of  these  books  simply  to  give  to  per- 
sons who  would  not  otherwise  possess  them- 
selves of  the  information  which  these  books 
contain.  At  least  one  philanthropic  person  has 
become  so  deeply  impressed  with  the  value  of 
these  books  that  he  has  left  in  his  will  a  leg- 
acy the  interest  of  which  is  to  be  used  each 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  191 

year  under  the  direction  of  his  executor,  for 
placing  copies  of  these  books  where  they  will 
do  the  largest  possible  good. 

If  persons  tell  you  that  they  do  not  know  of 
any  who  stand  in  need  of  such  literature,  ask 
them  to  purchase  a  set  or  a  quantity  of  any 
one  book,  if  more  suitable,  and  to  place  the 
same  in  the  hands  of  the  secretary  of  the  Y. 
M.  C.  A,  the  president  of  the  W.  C.  T.  U.,  or 
in  the  hands  of  some  Young  People's  Society 
of  Christian  Endeavor  or  other  organization 
for  loan  purposes.  The  Superintendent  of  the 
High  School,  the  pastor,  or  the  pastor's  wife, 
or  possibly  the  physician  or  the  physician's 
wife  would  be  very  glad  indeed  to  accept  and 
circulate  such  a  set  of  books. 

In  these  and  many  other  ways  persons  may 
be  enlisted  upon  a  very  large  scale  to  the  ac- 
complishment of  a  great  good  in  the  midst  of 
almost  any  community. 

576.  Young  People's  Societies.— A  mem- 
ber of  the  Good  Literature  Committee  in  one 
of  the  Christian  Endeavor  Societies  in  Penn- 
sylvania writes:  "Dr.  Stall's  book  to  young 
men  is  being  circulated  by  our  committee  and 
has  already  been  read  by  eighteen  young  men. 
The  same  Society  is  placing  all  the  other  books 
in  circulation.  Another  writes:  "Not  only 
the  young  men  but  the  young  women  in  our 
Christian  Endeavor  Society  are  circulating 
your  Purity  Books  in  the  community.  We 
purchased  two  copies  of  each  book  which  we 
keep  in  circulation.  They  are  well-worn,  but 
have  saved  several  young  people. 


192  GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

In  this  way  a  canvasser  may  be  able  to  se- 
cure a  goodly  number  of  orders  by  soliciting 
the  Good  Literature  Committee  in  the  Chris- 
tian Endeavor,  Baptist  Union,  Epworth 
League,  Luther  League,  and  other  young  peo- 
ple 's  societies.  This,  however,  should  not  be 
done  until  the  entire  community  has  first  been 
canvassed;  otherwise,  individual  members  of 
these  societies  would  be  likely  to  excuse  them- 
selves from  purchasing  upon  the  score  that 
they  would  be  able  to  read  the  books  purchas- 
ed by  the  Good  Literature  Committee.  Let 
the  solicitation  and  sales  to  the  societies  be 
made  last  of  all.  The  same  is  true  of  librar- 
ies of  Young  Men 's  Christian  Associations  and 
other  societies. 

577.  The  Appeal  to  Parents. — A  wise  and 
judicious  canvasser  can  often  enlist  the  aid 
and  co-operation  of  parents  in  an  effort  to  re- 
deem and  save  an  entire  community.  Indeed, 
the  saving  of  one's  own  home  oftentimes  ne- 
cessitates the  saving  of  an  entire  community. 
To  such  persons  an  appeal  like  the  follow- 
ing is  both  powerful  and  effective : 

Is  there  a  single  family  in  your  community 
where  ignorance  fosters  impurity  ?  If  there  is, 
then  your  own  home  is  not  safe.  Vice  is  like 
small-pox.  So  long  as  a  single  case  exists  in 
a  community,  that  community  is  not  safe ;  un- 
til the  last  case  of  contagion  is  stamped  out 
the  health  officers  give  themselves  no  rest. 

When  fire  has  consumed  all  that  is  valuable 
of  a  building,  the  firemen  labor  at  great  cost, 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  193 

and  oftentimes  at  great  risk,  to  extinguish  the 
flames,  not  because  of  the  value  of  the  charred 
timbers  that  remain,  but  because  it  is  the  only 
course  to  pursue  in  order  to  secure  the  safety 
of  other  buildings.  It  will  not  do  to  leave  in 
any  community  a  single  individual  whose  mind 
or  morals  are  corrupted  by  vicious  thoughts 
and  degrading  practices.  The  flames  of  lust 
must  be  entirely  extinguished,  or  no  home  is 
safe  in  that  community. 

If  any  family  in  your  community  is  too  poor 
to  purchase  purity  literature,  the  safety  of 
your  community  and  of  your  home  demands 
that  you  should,  even  at  your  own  expense, 
place  copies  of  these  books  in  every  such 
home. 

This  is  how  it  is  being  done,  a  lady  writes : 
"I  placed  a  copy  of  'What  A  Young  Man 
Ought  To  Know'  into  the  hands  of  a  young 
man  employed  in  the  mill,  to  circulate  it 
among  the  many  young  men  employed  there, 
and  he  is  doing  excellent  work  in  that  direc- 
tion. " 

Such  illustrations  are  suggestive  to  the  wide- 
awake canvasser. 

578.  "Get  Others  to  Work  for  You.— The 
most  successful  agent  doesn't  do  his  work 
alone.  He  secures  the  co-operation  of  every- 
one in  the  community  who  is  vitally  interested 
in  the  books  and  their  mission.  This  does  not 
mean  that  he  gets  the  names  of  their  fnends 
from  them,  but  it  means  that  they  actually  get 
out  and  hustle  for  him— that  they  speak  t 

12 


194  GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

their  friends  and  neighbors  so  enthusiastically 
of  the  books  that  a  desire  for  them  is  created 
and  all  the  agent  has  to  do  is  to  write  up  the 
order  and  deliver  the  books.  That's  the  v 
some  of  our  agents  are  averaging  over  100 
per  week,  while  others  just  as  talented  have  to 
be  content  with  50  or  60.  When  you  meet  a 
woman  who  is  all  wrapped  up  in  the  work  y«>u 
are  doing,  have  her  speak  to  her  friends  about 
it  during  the  day  and  call  upon  her  in  the 
evening  for  results.  When  you  find  a  young 
man  similarly  interested  get  him  to  hustle  for 
you.  Get  half  a  dozen  to  work  for  you  and 
you  will  get  such  an  enthusiasm  worked  up 
over  the  telephone,  you  will  be  stopped  on  the 
•  et  for  orders  and  you  will  be  the  most  talk- 
ed of  person  in  that  community.  Co-ope r a ti«>n 
is  what  does  it.  Don't  be  afraid  to  ask  others 
to  help  you.  Your  work  is  worthy  the  time  and 
efforts  of  the  busiest  man  on  earth. " — (K.) 

579.  Enlisting  Others  to  Canvass.— Each 
canvasser  should  be  on  the  alert  to  get  in 
touch  with  other  persons  whom  he  might  en- 
list in  the  canvass,  and  assist  in  their  prepara- 
tion. While  it  is  never  well  to  allow  anything 
to  divert  the  attention  from  a  systematic  can- 
vass for  a  definite  schedule  of  hours  each  day, 
yet  this  additional  interest  in  the  work  in  a 
larger  way  will  not  only  be  helpful  to  the  can- 
vasser but  can  be  made  profitable  as  well.  We 
will  be  pleased  to  quote  to  each  canvasser 
special  terms  in  payment  for  such  services  as 
he  may  render. 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  195 

Names  of  persons  who  would  make  good  can- 
vassers when  secured  may  be  mailed  to  us. 
Upon  the  receipt  of  such  names  we  will  at  once 
enter  into  correspondence  with  these  persons, 
sending  them  circulars  and  printed  matter, 
and  will  do  our  best  to  induce  them  to  enter  at 
once  upon  the  work  and  to  continue  therein. 
The  canvasser  who  thus  enlists  others  would 
do  well  himself  to  train  them  as  thoroughly  as 
possible,  and  should  subsequently  keep  in 
touch  with  them  by  letter  and  do  all  in  his 
power  to  make  their  work  a  thorough  success. 

580.  Keeping  Samples  in  Good  Condition. 
— The  canvasser  should  always  seek  to  keep 
his  sample  books  in  the  best  condition.  Books 
that  are  somewhat  soiled  may  oftentimes  be 
sold  to  some  economical  person  who  would  ap- 
preciate the  saving  of  25  or  30  cents,  and  then 
the  book  in  the  case  can  be  replaced  by  a  new 
one.  When  a  book  is  sold  in  this  way  it 
should  always  be  distinctly  understood  that 
the  reduction  is  made  because  the  book  is 
slightly  soiled.  Unless  this  is  distinctly  un- 
derstood other  persons  who  have  purchased 
from  you  may  think  that  you  have  two  prices 
and  are  dishonest,  and  the  person  who  pur- 
chases at  a  reduction  may  subsequently  de- 
sire to  purchase  at  a  book  store  and  tell  the 
book  dealer  that  he  purchased  copies  of  these 
books  at  seventy  or  seventy-five  cents  and  thus 
introduce  serious  demoralization. 

Where  the  green  wrappers  are  worn  they 
can  be  replaced  by  new  ones,  and  thus  give  t 


196  GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

canvasser's  samples  a  clean,  fresh  appear- 
ance.  When  ordering  new  wrappers  the  can- 
vassers should  send  two  cents  for  each  wrap- 
per, and  should  be  also  sure  to  name  which 
wrappers  are  desired.  They  can  be  sent  by 
mail,  post  free. 

581.  The  Price  of  Our  Books.— The  books 
in  the  Self  and  Sex  Series  are  published  in 
only  one  style  of  binding  and  are  never  al- 
lowed to  be  sold  at  any  other  than  the  full  net 
price  of  $1.00  per  copy.   Canvassers  are  never 
allowed,  under  any  circumstances  to  sell  the 
books   to   book   stores,   book   dealers   or   any 
other  person  who  sells  books. 

582.  The  People  Next  Door.— Before  leav- 
ing a  house  the  names  of  the  people  next  door 
may  be  easily  secured  either  by  suggesting  that 
because  they  are  interested  in  this  great  move- 
ment, or  because  you  are  so  hurried  in  your 
work  that  every  bit  of  information  will  prove 
helpful  and  valuable  to  you  and  that  you  will 
appreciate  their  assistance.     Always  write  it 
down,  so  that  you  may  have  it  later  if  the 
party  should  not  be  in  and  it  should  be  nec- 
essary for  you  to  call  back  later.     Learn  not 
only  the  name  but  the  occupation,  the  num- 
ber of  persons  in  the  family,  the  names  and 
ages  of  the  children  and  everything  which  may 
help  you  to  adjust  yourself  to  the  situation  in 
the  wisest  possible  way.     When  you  call  upon 
a  person  it  is  not  only  highly  important   to 
know  his  or  her  name,  but  also  their  occupa. 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  197 

tion,  condition,  interests,  etc.,  but  especially 
also  any  titles,  such  as  judge,  doctor,  colonel, 
squire,  professor,  etc.  The  importance  of  ad- 
dressing a  man  by  his  name,  and  especially 
by  his  title,  cannot  be  overestimated.  In  many 
instances  failure  to  do  this  handicaps  the  can- 
vasser from  the  beginning. 

583.  Canvassing    Foreigners.— When    can- 
vassing among  foreigners  they  will  often  ask 
for  a  book  in  their  own  language,  not  because 
they  want  it  or  would  be  willing  to  subscribe 
for  it,  but  simply  as  a  bluff  in  order  to  get  rid 
of   the   canvassers.     We   have   copies   of  our 
books  in  many  other  languages  and  on  that 
subject  refer  the  canvasser  to  Paragraph  495. 

When  dealing  with  those  who  desire  a  book 
in  some  foreign  language  it  is  well  to  present 
the  argument  that  this  book  in  English  is  writ- 
ten in  such  plain  terms  that  they  will  not 
only  be  able  to  understand  it  thoroughly,  but 
that  the  reading  of  it  in  English  will  also  re- 
sult in  teaching  them  and  their  family  to 
speak  and  write  English  better  than  anything 
else  they  could  do.  The  reading  of  an  inter- 
esting book  like  this  is  almost  equivalent  to  a 
term  in  school,  and  its  presence  in  the  homes 
will  be  a  constant  inducement  to  the  better 
acquisition  of  the  English  Language. 

584.  Write   Us  for  Help.— -If  at   anytime 
you  meet  with  difficulties  or  perplexities  re- 
member that  the  home  office  is  designed  to  be 
your  co-worker  and  helper.    Feel  free  to  write 


198  GENERAL  SUOOE8TION8. 

us  at  all  times  for  advice  and  suggestion.  Par- 
tial success  or  complete  failure  may  result 
from  neglect  to  do  so.  We  are  not  only  always 
ready,  but  glad  to  assist  in  any  way  within 
our  power.  That  is  our  business.  If  our  re- 
])ly  is  not  always  exactly  what  you  expect,  it 
will  yet  be  the  very  best  that  we  are  able  to 
do  with  the  information  that  you  sent  us  as 
a  guide. 

Before  writing  us  it  is  always  well  for  the 
canvasser  to  take  this  book  of  instruction  and 
refer  to  the  index  at  the  back  of  the  book 
where  under  the  alphabetical  arrangement  he 
may  be  able  to  turn  readily  and  Moun  at  once 
the  very  information  he  seeks.  This  book  has 
been  prepared  with  a  view  to  meeting  all  such 
contingencies.  The  canvasser  who  wriu-s 
constantly  for  answers  to  little  perplex- 
ities which  are  answered  over  and  over 
again  in  these  pages  only  evinces  his  lack 
of  familiarity  with  his  book  of  instructions, 
and  leads  us  to  fear  that  any  letter  we  might 
write  would  be  equally  ineffective  in  making 
any  impression  upon  him. 

585.  Helping  the  Publisher  and  Other  Can- 
vassers.— For  the  assistance  and  encourage- 
ment of  others  in  their  canvass,  we  shall  be 
under  many  obligations  to  each  canvasser  if  he 
will  communicate  to  us  any  personal  method 
which  he  adopts  with  special  success;  how  he 
overcomes  difficulties,  effectively  meets  argu- 
ments and  successfully  secures  subscriptions. 
These  and  other  matters  will  be  helpful  to 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  199 

place  in  print  at  intervals  for  the  assistance 
and  encouragement  of  other  canvassers  in  their 
work.  Tell  us  not  only  about  the  bright  days 
and  the  great  results,  but  also  about  the  dark 
days  and  the  discouragements  you  meet,  for 
every  business  and  every  undertaking  has  its 
discouragements.  Send  us  both  sunshine  and 
shadow. 

586.  "Watch  Your  Habits.— They  may  be 
natural  or  acquired,  but  in  either  case  should 
be  carefully  thought  over.    You  will  probably 
find   some  that  should  be   abandoned  or  cor- 
rected; others  cultivated  and  carefully  guard- 
ed.    Do  your  best  to  bring  them  up  to  the 
standard    set    in    the   books   you   are   selling. 
Whatever  you  do,  your  great  aim  should  be 
to  become  a  better  citizen.    It  pays  in  every 
way,  both  financially  and  morally.    Every  bad 
habit  will  alienate  some  one,  and  attract  no 
one  whose  friendship  is  worth  having.     Your 
own    happiness,   as   well   as   your  success   in 
business,    depends   upon   keeping  your  mind, 
body  and  purse  free  from  the  tax  of  bad  hab- 
its.     Never   seek    business    or   pleasure    that 
you  have  to  compromise  character  to  get.    All 
great  business  enterprises  to-day  seek  men  of 
character  to  operate  them.     They  are  turning 
from  men  of  bad  habits  entirely.    They  used 
to  limit  their  restrictions  to  "while  on  duty," 
but  now  they  include  all  time,  night  and  day, 
whether  on  or  off  duty." — (K.) 

587.  Your  Company.-— "You  will  probably 


200  GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

enter  most  territory  a  stranger.  This  is  an 
advertisement  for  your  business,  if  you  are 
the  right  kind  of  stranger.  While  you  are 
looking  up  people,  hundreds  are  looking  at 
you,  wondering  who  you  are,  where  you 
belong  and  what  you  represent.  You  should 
take  advantage  of  this  curiosity  as  the  hm! 
class  of  advertising.  If  you  have  live. I  liirht 
where  you  came  from,  you  can  have  with  you 
letters  of  commendation  that  will  be  respected 
by  people  of  standing  in  the  community  and 
will  aid  you  in  getting  immediate  attention. 
By  accepting  such  letters  you  are  under  obli- 
gation to  respect  the  giver  and  the  one  to 
whom  they  are  presented.  Should  you  fall 
below  the  measure  of  commendation  given,  you 
do  not  deserve  their  friendship.  Bad  com- 
pany ruins  your  standing  and  your  business. 
Good  company  helps  both.  Go  to  church,  Sun- 
day-school, Endeavor,  and  Y.  M.  C.  A.  meet- 
ings. Be  select  in  the  class  of  entertainments 
you  patronize.  Avoid  undue  familiarity  with 
corrupt  people,  as  you  would  a  pestilence.  If 
you  meet  them  in  doing  your  work,  it  should 
be  to  benefit  them,  talk  business  to  them  from 
the  start,  the  same  as  you  would  to  all  other 
people  canvassed,  take  their  orders,  then  go. 
Make  counselors  of  the  ministers  and  teachers. 
They  will  know  the  community,  the  best  places 
for  you  to  board  and  those  who  can  be  most 
helpful  to  you  in  your  work." — (K.) 

588.     Licenses. — Of    the    many    canvassers 
who  have  been  engaged  in  selling  our  books, 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  201 

we  do  not  know  of  any  having  been  annoyed 
by  an  effort  to  impose  upon  them  the  necessity 
of  securing  or  paying  for  a  license;  and 
while  it  is  not  at  all  likely  that  such  a  difficulty 
will  occur  in  the  future,  yet  that  our  can- 
vassers may  be  safeguarded  from  such  a  possi- 
bility, it  is  well  to  say  that  in  some  portions  of 
the  country  it  was  formerly  the  custom  of 
some  local  or  State  authorities  to  demand  the 
payment  of  a  fee  for  a  license.  This  matter 
has  been  fought  out  in  the  United  States  Su- 
preme Court  several  times,  and  is  now  thor- 
oughly settled.  The  United  States  Supreme 
Court  has  decided  that  all  local  laws  taxing 
commercial  travelers,  canvassers  or  agents  who 
sell  from  samples  only,  and  who  represent 
houses  not  located  in  the  State  where  the  per- 
son is  at  work,  are  unconstitutional  and  there- 
fore void.  The  leading  cases  in  which  this  pe- 
tition has  been  made  and  affirmed  are  as  fol- 
lows: Robbins  vs.  The  Shelby  County  Taxing 
District,  120  U.  S.,  489,  S.  C.,  7  Supreme  Court 
Rep.  592;  Corson  vs.  Maryland,  120  U.  S., 
502  S.  C.,  7  Supreme  Court  Rep.  655;  Ex 
parte  Insley,  33  Fed.  Rep.  680 ;  Simmons  Hard- 
ware Company  vs.  McGuire,  Second  Southern 
Rep.,592,  State  vs.  Pratt,  9  Atl.  Rep.  556. 

Only  a  few  days  ago  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Pennsylvania  in  the  case  of  N.  L.  Rearick 
against  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania, 
involving  an  ordinance  in  the  town  ^of  Sun- 
bury,  Pennsylvania,  overruled  the  action  of  a 
lower  court,  on  the  ground  that  Rearick  was 
engaged  in  Interstate  Commerce  and  that  his 


202  GENERAL  8UGGBBTION8, 

business  was  not  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
State    authority. 

Where  a  demand  for  a  license  is  made  the 
canvassers  should  call  at  once  upon  the  Mayor 
<>f  the  town  or  city,  or  if  he  is  at  work  in  the 
country  upon  the  sheriff  or  other  proper  offi- 

,  and  call  his  attention  to  these  rulings  of 
t  he  Supreme  Court  and  ask  for  protection  un- 
der them.  If  this  does  not  secure  the  desired 
result,  a  good  attorney  would  be  willing  to  t; 
up  the  case  for  the  amount  of  damages  which 
can  be  secured  from  the  parties  who  try  to  im- 
pose upon  the  canvasser.  A  tax  upon  the 
canvasser  is  a  tax  upon  education  and  no  en- 
lightened community  would  think  of  trying  t«» 
enforce  such  a  stupid  measure,  and  any  officer 
demanding  a  license  from  a  canvasser  places 
himself  in  contempt  of  the  United  States  Su- 
preme Court  and  may  be  prosecuted  accord- 
ingly for  oppression  in  office,  which  makes 
him  liable  to  a  fine  for  exceeding  his  author- 
ity. If  any  canvasser  should  be  annoyed  and 
does  not  find  relief  by  the  above  suggestions, 
he  should  at  once  write  to  the  publisher. 

589.  He-Canvassing  the  Same  Territory. — 
A  careful  record  has  been  kept  of  all  territory 
already  canvassed,  and  as  far  as  possible  we 
always  try  to  acquaint  a  canvasser  with  regard 
to  what  condition  he  will  find  when  he  arrives 
upon  a  field.  There  is  sometimes  difficulty  in 
doing  this  with  absolute  certainty,  because 
some  careless  or  indifferent  canvasser  has 
over-stepped  the  boundaries  of  the  territory 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  203 

assigned  him  and  sold  some  books  in  the  out- 
skirts of  an  adjoining  territory.  Where  a  can- 
vasser has  been  assured  that  a  territory  has 
not  been  previously  canvassed  and  he  finds 
after  arriving  upon  the  territory  that  some 
books  have  previously  been  sold,  he  should  not 
allow  this  to  disturb  his  mind,  but  go  right 
along  with  his  work.  He  should,  however,  no- 
tify us  at  once  and  give  us  the  name  and  ad- 
dress of  the  canvasser  who  sold  the  book,  when 
they  were  sold,  and  any  other  information 
he  can  about  the  work  which  has  been  previ- 
ously done.  We  desire  to  assure  all  of  our  can- 
vassers that  it  is  our  earnest  purpose  to  do 
what  is  square  and  honest  with  every  person 
who  engages  in  business  with  us,  and  we  pur- 
pose to  hold  canvassers  to  the  same  strict  ac- 

count.  .         i 

When  choosing  territory  some  experienced 
canvassers  prefer  to  select  that  which  has  al- 
ready been  canvassed,  and  claim  that  to  one 
who  is  experienced  and  knows  how  to  canvass 
such  territory  affords  better  advantages  than 
territory  which  has  never  been  canvassed.  1 
eSrienced  canvassers  usually  prefer  entirely 
new     erritory.     Some  experienced  canvassers 
prefer  toe  Srritory  which  has  already  been 


that  has  been  sold 
family. 


204  GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

3. — On  territory  previously  canvassed  a  cor- 
dial welcome  already  awaits  the  coming  of 
the  canvasser,  and  local  commendations  and 
earnest  co-operation  are  the  more  easily  se- 
cured. 

4. — Such  territory  does  not  require  much 
preparatory  work.  Pastors  are  ready  to  sign 
the  endorsements,  pulpit  announcements  are 
easily  secured,  names  of  former  subscribers 
can  properly  be  added  to  the  canvasser's  list, 
not  as  fictitious  subscribers,  but  as  persons 
who  have  actually  subscribe!  for  these  books. 

5. — Upon  such  territory  the  canvasser  can 
the  more  easily  secure  the  co-operation  of  lead- 
ing persons  in  the  manner  suggested  in  para- 
graph 578. 

•  >od  idea  of  what  can  be  done  in  territory 
previously  canvassed  may  be  learned  from  the 
following  quotations  from  letters  of  those  who 
have  proven  the  results: 

"I  have  been  much  encouraged  since  I 
came  here,  although  the  town  was  canvassed 
two  years  ago,  yet  on  Wednesday  I  took  18 
orders,  and  on  Thursday,  14. " 

"The  sale  of  a  few  books  in  Kirkwood,  last 
year  helped  the  sale  this  year.  You  state  that 
75  books  were  sold  in  Monmouth  last  year.  I 
think  of  trying  the  place  again,  there  have 
only  been  enough  books  sold  there  to  advertise 
them  properly." 

Toward  the  close  of  the  canvass  in  Chester, 
Pa.,  one  of  the  young  men  employed  a  lady 
who  was  a  trained  nurse.  The  city  had  been 
quite  thoroughly  canvassed,  several  hundred 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  205 

books  had  been  sold,  but  this  lady  was  able 
to  make  sales  in  very  many  families  because 
of  the  interest  which  had  already  been  created 
by  the  earlier  canvass.  A  student  from  the 
Crozer  Theological  Seminary  also  started  in  to 
canvass  before  the  first  canvass  of  the  city  had 
been  wholly  completed.  He  sold  seven  books 
in  the  first  nine  houses  he  visited.  He  had 
similar  later  results. 

Ithaca,  New  York,  was  canvassed  in  1904 
and  530  copies  were  sold.  Some  further  can- 
vassing was  done  in  1905  and  174  copies  were 
sold.  Another,  but  not  thorough  canvass  was 
made  during  the  Easter  vacation  in  1906,  by 
some  students  of  the  University,  and  some  400 
copies  or  more  were  sold. 

"In  Creighton  the  territory  had  been  work- 
ed once  about  a  $ear  ago,  but  notwithstanding 
that  I  sold  116  books  there  in  one  week." — J. 
M.  Long. 

"My  work  this  week  is  in  a  town  where  they 
know  little  of  the  books,  and  for  that  reason 
may  be  a  little  harder  to  canvass.  Tingley 
had  been  canvassed  before,  so  I  sold  a  good 
number  there  for  the  size  of  the  place  because 
they  knew  something  about  the  books. ' ' — Ray- 
mond Hill. 

"As  for  the  selling  qualities  of  the  books, 
surely  the  'Self  and  Sex  Series'  stand  without 
a  peer.  Since  June  15th  I  have  worked  about 
two  full  months,  and  have  sold  over  500  books. 
I  am  going  to  be  with  the  company  next  year 
and  hope  to  do  better.  Where  the  books  have 
been  introduced,  it  creates  a  demand  for 
more."— S.  F.  Sharpe. 


206  GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

"The  fact  that  convinces  me  more  than  any 
other  that  the  'Self  and  Sex  Series'  are  ap- 
preciated    above     the     average     subscript 
books  is  that  in  re-canvassing  territory  that  I 
canvassed    personally    three    years    ago    A\ 
the  same  books,  I  sold  in  this  field  more  b<> 
per  hour,  per  day  and  per  week  than  I  did  in 
entirely  new  field.     If  I  am  allowed  to  B 
gest,  I  would  say  to  agents,  so  far  as  possible 
select  some  field   that    has  already  been  can- 
vassed, because  the  books  that  are  already  in 
the  field  will  be  a  great  help  to  you  in 
subscriptions  for  more,  and  the  people  who 
have    them    will    be    your    friends." — A.    J. 
Mielke. 

The  first  canvass  usually  secures  its  sub- 
scribers principally  from  the  more  intelligent 
and  influential  people,  and  thus  places  the 
territory  in  a  condition  to  be  more  success- 
fully canvassed  the  second  time.  The  people 
are  inclined  upon  the  first  canvass  to  ad- 
mit that  these  may  possibly  be  good  books,  but 
they  never  heard  of  them  before,  and  that  they 
Avill  wait  and  see  what  their  neighbors  do, 
even  if  they  do  not  learn  of  the  merits  of  these 
books  in  the  meantime  from  their  neighbors, 
which  is  very  likely,  they  will,  when  the  can- 
vasser comes  around  a  second  time,  be  im- 
pressed with  the  fact  that  the  books  must  be 
books  of  real  merit,  or  they  would  not  be  pre- 
sented a  second  time.  Not  only  can  books  be 
sold  in  families  where  previous  purchases  were 
made,  and  from  those  who  failed  to  subscribe 
the  first  time,  but  new  crops  of  readers  come 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  207 

on  very  rapidly.  Children  grow  up,  the  boy 
of  a  couple  of  years  ago  is  approaching  young 
manhood,  the  former  young  man  and  young 
woman  have  oftentimes  married  and  organized 
new  families,  people  have  moved  in  from  other 
localities,  persons  who  did  not  have  the  money 
the  first  time  now  find  themselves  differently 
situated,  and  with  all  the  new  influences  which 
are  brought  to  bear  upon  a  community  the 
subscriptions  are  secured  as  readily,  if  not 
more  so,  in  territory  previously  canvassed, 
than  in  territory  never  canvassed  at  all. 

As  a  rule,  however,  we  advise  inexperienced 
canvassers  to  choose  entirely  new  territory, 
for  the  simple  reason  that  when  they  find  a 
place  where  a  single  book  has  been  sold  they 
lose  heart,  thinking  that  if  that  book 
had  not  previously  been  sold  they  would 
themselves  have  secured  the  order,  while 
they  forget  that  the  sale  of  that  book  has  pre- 
pared the  way  in  that  very  family  for  the  sale 
of  two  or  three  additional  books  and  that  if 
they  can  not  succeed  in  selling  additional  books 
where  the  merits  of  the  books  are  already 
known,  they  would  quite  surely  have  failed  in 
selling  the  first  copy  when  the  merits  of  the 
books  were  wholly  unknown. 

590.  Class  Canvassing. — Before  doing  any 
class  canvassing  a  thorough  study  should  be 
made  of  the  special  canvasses  for  ministers, 
physicians,  teachers  and  others  found  in  the 
later  sections  of  this  book  on  "  class  canvass- 
ing." 


208  GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

591.  Some  General  Principles. — 1. — Al- 
ways start  your  subscription  list  with  influen- 
tial names. 

2. — Never  intrude  your  books  or  your  busi- 
ness upon  a  customer  when  you  find  that  he 
is  really  busy. 

3. — Always  lay  out  your  day's  work,  route, 
etc.,  the  night  before.  By  this  method  you 
will  save  much  valuable  time. 

4. — No  two  subscribers  can  be  handled  in 
the  same  way.  What  appeals  strongly  to  one 
may  fail  wholly  to  influence  the  other. 

5. — Knowledge  of  the  universal  needs  for 
these  books  and  an  enthusiasm  for  the  books 
based  upon  a  thorough  knowledge  of  their 
teachings  are  essential  to  success. 

6. — When  thoroughly  tired  out,  or  exhaust- 
ed, cease  canvassing,  go  to  your  room  and  de- 
vote yourself  wholly  to  rest  and  sleep,  but  be 
careful  never  to  mistake  laziness  for  weari- 
ness. 

7. — When  you  call  upon  a  family  where 
callers  or  visitors  are  being  entertained,  it  is 
usually  better  to  excuse  one's  self  and  call  at 
another  time.  This  may  not,  however,  be  a 
universal  rule. 

8. — Always  keep  your  own  counsels.  Tell 
no  one  what  commissions  you  receive,  how 
many  books  you  have  sold,  or  other  items  con- 
cerning your  business.  It  will  be  sure  to  work 
to  your  detriment. 

9. — Do  not  waste  time  in  search  of  better 
territory.  Such  a  search  is  always  unprofit- 
able and  oftentimes  expensive.  Adapt  your- 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  209 

self  to  conditions,  do  thorough  and  conscien- 
tious work  and  you  will  be  sure  to  reap  large 
results. 

10. — You  must  expect  occasional  rebuffs, 
but  never  allow  them  to  dampen  your  enthusi- 
asm. Few  canvassers  at  the  end  of  a  week  are 
able  to  recall  a  single  instance  which  has  made 
more  than  a  momentary  impression  upon  their 
mind. 

11.  Never  plead  your  personal  need  of 
money  or  any  other  personal  consideration  in 
order  to  induce  people  to  subscribe.  You  do 
both  yourself  and  your  cause  a  great  injustice 
by  such  a  method. 

12. — If  you  want  to  secure  subscribers  you 
must  know  what  you  are  going  to  talk  about, 
and  in  order  to  do  this  you  must  understand 
both  your  book  of  instructions  and  the  books 
which  you  are  showing  to  your  customer,  and 
then  talk  straight  to  the  mark. 

13. — Never  allow  yourself  to  be  insulted. 
Never  get  angry.  Never  allow  yourself  to 
be  thrown  off  your  guard.  At  all  times  speak 
the  absolute  truth,  be  upright  and  honest  in 
all  your  dealings  and  relations,  and  merit  the 
confidence  of  others  and  your  own  self-respect. 

14. — Never  allow  yourself  to  be  drawn  into 
an  argument  upon  politics,  or  any  other  mat- 
ters. Your  business  is  not  to  convert  others 
to  your  way  of  thinking  upon  other  subjects, 
but  to  sell  them  copies  of  the  books  in  the  Self 
and  Sex  Series.  To  win  an  argument  is  always 
to  lose  a  sale. 

15.— Never  carry  any  other  books  in  your 

13 


210  (;/•:  \ERAL  SUGGESTIONS. 

canvass  except  those  of  the  "Self  and  Sex 
Series. "  In  this  set  of  books  you  have  what 
is  needed  by  every  man,  woman  and  child  in 
every  family  you  canvass. 

16. — Learn  what  parents  have  children 
away  from  home,  either  in  business  or  attend- 
ing school.  For  such  these  books  are  specially 
important,  and  the  parents  will  appreciate 
dangers  to  which  such  sons  and  daughters  are 
exposed. 

17. — Never  canvass  men  in  groups.  You 
cannot  secure  the  attention  of  all.  S< 
" smart"  person  will  seek  to  make  some 
"bright  remarks, "  create  a  laugh  and  defeat 
your  work.  When  canvassed  separately  each 
of  these  persons  might  subscribe  for  a  book  or 
more.  Avoid  groups  of  idle  men  as  you  would 
a  pestilence.  Nothing  can  be  done  in  public 
gatherings. 

18. — Impress  upon  parents  the  fact  that  no 
one  in  a  brief  conversation  can  so  delicately 
and  effectively  impress  these  topics  of  pu 
upon  the  mind  of  their  child  as  is  done  in 
these  books  by  authors  who  are  themselves 
Christian  parents  and  who  have  carefully 
chosen  each  word  they  have  written.  With 
bright  children  of  eight  or  ten  years  of  age, 
it  is  usually  best  for  the  parent  to  place  the 
book  in  their  hands  for  a  careful,  personal 
reading. 

39. — Haste  and  lack  of  thoroughness  are  the 
two  greatest  evils  with  which  agents  have  to 
contend.  The  man  who  puts  fifty  houses  be- 
tween his  first  and  last  call  for  the  day  in  a 


GENERAL  SUGGESTIONS.  211 

sparsely  settled  community  works  hard,  spoils 
territory,  and  has  nothing  but  weariness  as  his 
reward  at  the  end  of  the  day.  Reverse  the  or- 
der from  "much  territory  and  little  time"  to 
the  more  profitable  order  of  "little  territory 
and  much  time ' 9  so  as  to  do  thorough  work  and 
a  larger  subscription  will  be  your  reward. 

20. — Do  not  be  afraid  to  talk.  People  ex- 
pect you  to  talk.  You  cannot  do  justice  to  the 
books,  to  yourself  or  to  your  customer  unless 
you  do  talk.  Be  careful,  however,  what  you 
say.  Be  choice  in  the  selection  of  your  words. 
Use  none  which  are  coarse  or  which  might  of- 
fend the  most  delicate  taste  or  the  most  mod- 
est person.  Remember,  at  all  times,  that  you 
are  engaged  in  the  work  of  purity,  and  let 
your  language,  your  thought  and  your  conduct 
be  in  keeping  with  the  teachings  of  the  books 
you  are  introducing.  Always  be  polite,  but 
never  be  silly. 

21. — After  securing  a  subscription  it  is  us- 
ually well,  as  far  as  convenient,  to  avoid  meet- 
ing your  subscribers.  If  you  have  secured  an 
order  for  a  set  of  books  from  a  person  who 
has  been  greatly  impressed  by  your  presenta- 
tion of  them  and  the  books  are  to  be  delivered 
sometime  in  the  future  he  may  subsequently 
lose  his  interest,  meet  you  some  day  when  he 
feels  very  poor  and  injudiciously  conclude  that ' 
he  does  not  need  the  books  and  acting  upon 
the  impulse  of  the  moment  tell  you  that  you 
need  not  order  the  books.  Such  persons  com- 
monly reason,  although  very  wrongly,  that 
as  you  have  not  yet  sent  your  money  to  the 


212  GENERAL 

publisher  for  the  books  it  will  be  no  loss  to  you 
if  he  cancels  his  order.  Whereas,  if  the  sub- 
scriber does  not  see  you  between  the  time  of 
ordering  and  the  moment  of  delivery  he  will 
then  reason  that  as  the  book  has  been  ordered 
especially  for  him  it  is  now  too  late  to  change 
his  order,  and  he  will  therefore  accept  it  with- 
out a  moment's  hesitation.  However,  if  you 
do  meet  your  customers  on  the  street  before 
you  have  delivered  their  books,  always  ac- 
knowledge their  greeting  politely  if  they  recog- 
nize you,  for  you  should  feel  that  you  are  their 
equal  in  every  way,  and  that  you  have  no  rea- 
M>M  for  keeping  out  of  their  sight. 


PART    II 

SUGGESTIVE  CANVASSES 


CANVASSERS'  FORMULAS.  215 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
CANVASSERS*  FORMULAS. 

592.  Preliminary   Reading. — Before  begin- 
ning the  study  of  the  following  formulas  the 
canvasser  should  turn  to  Paragraphs  458  and 
459. 

Concerning  the  form  of  salutation  he  should 
also  carefully  read  Paragraph  462. 

593.  Modifications.— The  following  formu- 
las may  in  some  instances  be  somewhat  fuller 
than  necessity  requires.    Many  canvassers  fail 
because  they  do  not  have  enough  to  say.    On 
this  account  we  have  made  the  formulas  quite 
full  so  that  they  may  be  adequately  sugges- 
tive.    The  canvasser  should  always  seek,  first 
of   all,   to  be   thoroughly   equipped   and  pre- 
pared, if  need  be,  to  talk  for  an  entire  hour 
with  intelligence  and  impressiveness  upon  any 
one   book   in   the   series.     After  having  this 
thorough  preparation,  he  should  then  seek  to 
be  as  brief  as  is  consistent  with  effectiveness 
and  success.    You  should  seek  brevity  in  or- 
der to  save  your  own  time  and  the  time  of  your 
customer     also.       Sufficient     time,     however, 
should  be  used  to  impress  the  customer  deeply 
with  regard  to  the  value  of  the  books,  other- 
wise an  aggravating  loss  of  time  may  be  oc- 
casioned   when    the    day    of    delivery    comes, 
because  the  canvasser  failed  in  the  first  in- 


216  CANVA  FORMULAS. 

stance  to  make   the   desire  for  the  book   as 
strong  as  it  should  have  been  made. 

594.  Making  the  Canvass  Effective. — A 
thorough  study  of  the  canvasses  themsei 
is  not  sufficient.  The  canvasser  should  now 
make  a  very  thorough  study  of  the  book  of 
instructions  from  Chapter  Six  to  the  end  of 
Chapter  Ten.  The  importance  of  this  is  illus- 
trated by  a  single  instance.  Recently  one  of 
<  ur  canvassers  started  in  to  work  before  this 
book  of  in>t  ruction  was  prepared.  The  : 
four  weeks  he  sold  100  books.  We  realized 
that  the  man  was  not  succeeding  as  he  should. 
A  competent  field  manager  visited  him,  spent 

0  days  in  having  this  man  canvass  him,  so 
as  to  discover  where  his  deficiencies  u 
and  then  coached  him  and  instructed  him,  and 
had  the  canvasser  go  over  the  canvasses  again 
and  again.  As  a  result  of  this  additional  study 
and  training,  in  the  next  four  weeks  this  same 
canvasser  sold  500  books.  It  is  impossible  to 
send  a  field  manager  to  assist  every  canvasser, 
and  to  accomplish  that  end,  this  full  and  com- 
plete book  of  instructions  has  been  prepared. 
But  this  work  also  goes  for  naught  unless  the 
canvasser  devotes  himself  to  a  faithful  and 
thorough  study  of  not  only  every  chapter,  but 
of  every  paragraph  aud  of  every  sentence  in 
the  book. 

When  the  canvasser  enters  upon  his  work  he 
should  read  this  entire  book,  then  he  should 
take  up  the  first  five  chapters  and  study  them 
thoroughly,  in  preparing  himself  and  his  field. 


CANVASSERS9  FORMULAS.  217 

When  he  has  made  these  mental,  physical  and 
field  "preparations"  he  should  take  up  a 
thorough  study  of  the  subject  of  canvassing 
as  contained  in  Chapter  Six  to  the  end  of 
Chapter  Ten,  including  also  the  suggestions 
found  in  Chapter  Thirteen. 

After  having  secured  his  orders  he  should 
read  carefully  and  thoroughly  the  instruc- 
tions with  regard  to  ordering  books  found  in 
Chapter  Eleven,  and  when  his  books  are  re- 
ceived and  he  is  to  enter  upon  the  work  of  de- 
livering he  should  make  a  thorough  study  of 
Chapter  Twelve,  upon  the  subject  of  delivery. 

595.  Adaptation. — The  following  canvasses 
should  be  adapted  by  each  canvasser  to  his  or 
her  own  personal  need.  A  woman  when  can- 
vassing can  speak  more  freely  to  women  con- 
cerning the  subjects  treated  in  these  books 
than  a  man  can.  Upon  the  other  hand  a  man 
can  speak  more  freely  to  men  than  a  woman 
could.  It  is  not  necessary  for  either  a  man  or 
a  woman  when  canvassing  the  opposite  sex 
to  dwell  upon  the  specific  character  of  the 
particular  book  which  he  or  she  is  canvassing. 
The  portrait  of  the  author,  the  portraits  and 
commendations  of  eminent  persons,  together 
with  a  reference  to  the  table  of  contents  and  a 
reference  to  such  other  matters  as  are  indi- 
cated in  the  following  canvasses  will  be  suf- 
ficient. Delicacy  of  thought  and  treatment 
adds  strength  to  the  canvass  of  either  a  man 
or  a  woman  when  canvassing  the  opposite  sex. 
Indeed,  this  is  true  also  when  canvassing 
those  of  their  own  sex. 


218  CANVASSERS9  FORMULAS. 

596.  Salutation. — The  form  of  salutation 
used  when  the  door  is  opened  is  of  utmost  im- 
portance. No  one  form  is  suited  to  all  cir- 
cumstances. The  following  are  suggestive. 
Kit  her  these  or  something  equally  good  should 
be  used: 

a.  Mrs.  Smith,  I  am  calling  upon  the  pro- 
gressive people  in  the  community  and  explain- 
ing to  them  the  nature  of  the  Purity  Crusade 
which   has   been  announced  from  all  the  pul- 
pits.    With  your  kind  permission  I  will  step 
in    for   a   moment. 

b.  I  am  calling  upon  the  progressive  people 
in  the  community  and  explaining  to  them  a 
campaign  in  the  interest  of  personal  and  so- 
cial purity.     This  movement  is  fostered  and 
furthered  by  the  pastors  of  all  the  chun -In -s  in 
the  city  and  with  your  permission  I  will  step 
in  and  explain  it  to  you. 

c.  Mrs.   Smith,   I  am  doing  some   work   in 
the  interests  of  boys  and  girls  and  mothers. 
May  I  speak  with  you  just  a  moment  about  itf 

d.  Mrs.  Smith,  I  have  called  to  see  you  in 
reference  to  your  son  Harry  (or  your  daugh- 
ter Mary),  and  with  your  kind  permission  I 
will  step  in  for  a  moment. 

e.  Mrs.  Smith,  I  have  been  referred  to  you 
as  one  who  would  be  interested  in  the  move- 
ment which  I  represent.     I  am  enlisting  all 
the  intelligent  people  in  this  community  in  a 
movement  which  is  fostered  and  furthered  by 
the  pastors  of  all  the  churches  and  which  they 
have  commended  from  their  pulpits. 

f.  Good  morning,  is  this  Mr.  Smith!    My 


CANVASSERS9  FORMULAS.  219 

name  is  Jones.  I  am  calling  at  the  suggestion 
of  your  neighbor,  Mr.  Brown.  I  am  very  busy 
this  morning,  but  if  you  can  spare  me  a  mo- 
ment I  must  take  time  to  explain  to  you  a 
great  work  which  I  am  doing  in  this  town 
among  the  young  men.  They  are  being  inter- 
ested in  large  numbers  and  I  am  sure  you  will 
want  to  learn  of  the  movement. 

g.  I  am  doing  some  work  in  the  interests  of 
the  boys  and  girls  and  of  their  mothers.  May 
I  speak  with  you  just  a  moment  about  it? 

h.  There  are  some  instances  in  which  it  is 
impossible  for  the  canvasser  to  know  in  ad- 
vance either  the  name  of  the  occupants  of 
the  home  or  what  members  constitute  the  fam- 
ily. In  such  an  event  the  wrong  form  of  intro- 
duction would  only  result  in  failure  to  secure 
admission.  If  you  come  to  such  a  home  and 
say  that  you  are  engaged  in  the  work  in  the 
interests  of  boys  and  girls  and  their  mothers, 
and  they  have  no  children  at  all  in  the  family, 
you  afford  a  very  convenient  opportunity  for 
the  mother  to  say  "we  have  no  children, " 
and  then  close  the  door  in  your  face.  In  such 
an  event  it  would  be  necessary  to  have  some 
other  form  of  introduction.  That  which  might 
be  the  very  best  form  of  introduction  where 
they  have  children  might  be  the  very  poorest 
form  of  introduction  where  they  have  none, 
and  where  the  canvasser  is  wholly  uncertain 
with  regard  to  the  situation  the  simple  intro- 
duction : 

May  I  speak  with  you  a  moment,  might 
be  the  very  best  form  of  introduction  possible 
to  use. 


220  CANVASSERS9  FORMULAS. 

The  matter  of  introduction  is  of  utmost  im- 
portance and  every  canvasser  must  use  his 
very  best  judgment  in  deciding  which  form  of 
salutation  to  use  in  each  particular  instance. 

597.  The  Value  of  Questions. — Throughout 
y»ur  entire  canvass  it  is  well  to  use  the  in- 
terrogative form.     Ask  questions.     "That  is 
fine,  isn't  it,  Mrs.  Smith?"     "Did  you  ever 
see  anything  stronger  than  that,  Mrs.  Smith  t" 
"Did  you  ever  see  this  question  presented  in 
such  a  beautiful  way  befoie,  Mrs.  Smith  f" 
etc.,  etc.   Introduce  interrogatory  forms  \\\wr- 
<  v  r  practicable,  even  more  extensively  than 
shown  in  the  following  canvass.    The  affirma- 
tive responses  prepare  the  mind  for  an  affirma- 
tive answer  when  you  come  to  the  question  of 
closing  the  canvass. 

598.  Commendation.  —  Any       appreciative 
words    concerning    the    children,    the    attrac- 
tiveness of  the  home,  the  thoughtful  solicitude 
your  customer  has  exhibited  in  her  children, 
her  interest  in  the  community  at  large,  or  any 
other  things  for  which  you  can  commend  her 
will  be  greatly  to  your  advantage.     By  this 
means  you  will  make  her  more  anxious  for  the 
receipt  of  the  book,  she  will  pay  for  it  more 
cheerfully,   read    it   more   appreciatively   and 
commend  it  more  frequently  and  heartily  to 
all  her  friends  and  neighbors. 

599.  Important  for  Evenings. — In  the  even- 
ing after  the  day's  work  is  done  review  the 


CANVASSERS9  FORMULAS.  221 

successes  and  failures  of  the  day.  Seize  upon 
good  points  and  successful  methods  pursued  in 
securing  subscriptions  during  the  day,  and  im- 
press them  upon  your  mind  for  future  use. 

Review  each  instance  where  you  failed  to 
secure  a  subscription  during  the  day.  Try  to 
discover  in  each  instance  why  you  failed. 
Make  a  thorough  study  of  the  chapters  of 
this  book  on  "Securing  a  Hearing, "  "Creat- 
ing the  Desire"  and  "Securing  the  Subscrip- 
tion "  and  also  study  the  chapter  on  "Objec- 
tions." Make  a  careful  study  also  of  the 
different  formulas.  Qualify  yourself  to  over- 
come difficulties  such  as  you  have  encountered 
during  the  day.  Make  a  daily,  constant  study 
of  your  work,  and  success  is  assured.  If 
other  canvassers  can  make  from  forty  to  sev- 
enty-five dollars  a  week  straight  along,  you 
ought  to  be  able  to  do  the  same  thing.  No 
better  books  were  ever  published,  or  are  more 
needed.  Understand  the  importance  and  value 
of  them  yourself,  and  qualify  yourself  to  make 
others  understand  their  importance  and  value 
also. 

Read  a  chapter,  or  at  least  eight  or  ten 
pages,  of  one  of  the  books  each  morning  be- 
fore starting  out.  It  will  keep  your  mind 
fresh  and  aflame,  and  help  you  to  make  a 
grand  success  of  your  work. 


222  CANVA88  FOR  YOUNG  BOY. 


SUGGESTIONS    FOR   THE    CANVASS    OF 
1  'YOUNG  BOY/'* 

600.  "Walk  briskly  along  the  street.  Be 
sure  that  you  have  well  in  mind  what  you  may 
already  know  about  the  person  you  are  ap- 
proaching. If  necessary,  refer  to  your  note 
book  as  you  walk  along. M 

Remember,  your  face  is  the  mirror  of  your 
thought  and  feeling.  Be  confident,  be  oxpt-r- 
tant.  Realize  deeply  in  your  own  mind  the 
fact  that  you  have  a  book  that  is  absolutely 
essential  for  the  well-being  of  the  boy  (or 
irirl)  in  whose  interest  you  are  approaching 
the  mother. 

"Place  the  case  at  the  side  of  the  door,  and 
ring  or  knock  properly.  Walk  back  about  two 
short  steps.  Stand  attentive  and  face  the 
door.  When  it  is  open  and  while  tipping  your 
hat  say,  in  firm,  clear  tones  expectantly : " 

Mrs.  Smith,  I  have  called  to  see  you  in  ref- 
erence to  your  son  Harry  and  with  your  kind 
permission  I  will  step  in  for  a  moment.  At  the 
same  time  "step  forward  to  enter,  taking  off 
your  hat  and  picking  up  your  case  as  you  go 


*The  above  canvass  is  adapted  from  "Suggestions, 
or  a  Conversation  on  Selling  the  'Young  Boy'  Book," 
by  Mr.  H.  L.  Pickett.  The  portions  quoted  are  taken 
from  his  canvass,  and  the  portions  not  quoted  are  adap- 
tations suited  to  the  changes  which  have  taken  place 
since  Mr.  Pickett's  canvass  was  written.  His  canvass 
was  printed  in  "The  Personal  Helper"  of  June  22,  1905, 
and  was  copyrighted,  1905,  by  the  Personal  Help  Pub- 
lishing Company. 


CANVA88  FOR  YOUNG  BOY.  223 

into  the  house.  The  lady  will  nearly  always 
step  back,  inviting  you  to  come  in.  As  you  en- 
ter the  door  you  may  hand  her  your  card,  or 
what  is  better,  say  distinctly,  yet  in  a  low 
voice,  my  name  is  (Pickett). 

"Put  your  hat  somewhere  at  once  and  when 
seated  continue  after  this  fashion :  I  was  talk- 
ing with  your  friend,  Mrs.  Gale,  on  Lincoln 
street,  yesterday,  and  she  told  me  that  you  had 
a  young  boy  in  your  home — how  old  is  your 
son,  Mrs.  Smith1? 

"Be  self  poised,  be  collected.  Wait  a  frac- 
tion of  a  second  after  her  answer  before  speak- 
ing further,  as  if  considering  what  to  say, 
which  you  are  really  doing.  It  is  not  alone  the 
words  you  use  but  the  easy,  forceful,  personal 
way  in  which  you  speak  these  first  few  sen- 
tences that  will  make  the  impression  and  se- 
cure the  undivided  attention  of  your  hearer, 
continue, ' ' 

In  order  that  you  may  understand  the  na- 
ture of  my  work  and  the  interest  which  the 
pastors  of  your  city  are  taking  in  the  boys 
and  girls,  I  would  like  you  to  see  their  en- 
dorsement of  my  work.  You  will  notice  they 
have  all  signed  it,  and  these  are  their  per- 
sonal autographs.  Call  her  special  attention 
to  the  signature  of  her  own  pastor. 

The  best  people  throughout  this  community 
are  interested  in  my  work,  Mrs.  Smith,  and  1 
am  sure  you  will  be  also.  It  is  so  vital  to  every 
boy  and  girl,  indeed,  to  every  man  and  wo- 
man, but  especially  the  fathers  and  mothers. 
Handing  her  a  copy  of  "What  A  Young  Boy 


224  CANVA88  FOR  YOUXG  BOY. 

Ought  To  Know"  which  you  can  take  back 
into  your  own  hands  after  a  moment.  This  is 
the  book  that  I  want  especially  to  call  your  at- 
tention to  in  the  interests  of  your  boy.  It  is 
one  in  a  series  of  Purity  Books  which  have 
been  so  eminently  commended  and  so  widely 
circulated.  Indeed,  this  little  book  which  I 
have  handed  you  has  been  translated  into  some 
fourteen  different  languages,  several  in  India 
beside  Japanese,  Korean  and  most  of  the  lan- 
guages of  Europe.  This  is  one  book  in  a 
series.  The  four  books  to  men  are  as  folio 
("Name  the  books  carefully  and  impressively, 
so  that  you  are  sure  that  she  understands  in  a 
general  way  what  the  character  of  the  books 
is.") 

With  your  kind  permission,  Mrs.  Smith, 
(at  the  same  time  extending  your  hand  for  the 
return  of  the  book,  say)  "This  book  is  'What 
A.  Young  Boy  Ought  To  Know.'  What  a  boy 
ought  to  know  about  the  laws  of  his  own  na- 
ture while  he  is  .irrnwini:  up." 

"Now  this  book  is  written  for  a  boy  from 
the  age  of  six  or  eight  up  to  fifteen  or  sixteen 
years  of  age,  and  toadies  a  great  many  f; 
which  a  boy  ought  to  know  in  the  right  way 
before  he  learns  them  in  a  wrong  way.  It  is 
meant  to  help  the  mother  solve  the  young  boy 
problem  which  I  think  is  how  to  teach  a  youne: 
boy  in  a  pure  way  what  most  boys  are  allow- 
ed to  learn  in  an  impure  way." 

I  want  to  show  you,  Mrs.  Smith,  the  por- 
trait of  the  author  of  these  books  to  boys 
and  men.  He  has  devoted  many  years  to  a 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUXG  BOY.  225 

study  of  the  subject  of  Self  and  Sex  and  what 
grown  people  also  ought  to  know  about  their 
own  being.  It  is  not  surprising,  Mrs.  Smith, 
that  these  books  should  have  become  such  a 
world-wide  influence  for  here  in  the  preface 
the  author  says  (page  33) :  "When  himself  a 
boy  the  writer  felt  the  need  of  just  such  a 
book  as  this. "  He  has  lived  near  to  nature 's 
heart  and  has  written  out  of  his  own  life  and 
experience  and  from  a  wide  study  of  the  needs 
of  boys  and  men. 

Here  are  portraits  and  commendations  of 
many  of  the  most  eminent  people  in  the  world. 
Dr.  Theodore  Cuyler,  the  great  devotional 
writer,  says:  "This  book  ought  to  be  in  every 
home  where  there  is  a  boy." 

Rev.  Dr.  Thompson,  formerly  moderator  of 
the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  says:  "It  is  indeed  what  boys  ought 
to  know — the  failure  to  know  which  has  been 
the  cause  of  many  sorrows  and  pains  and  pen- 
alties. Why  was  not  this  book  written  cen- 
turies ago?"  That  is  a  tremendously  strong 
commendation,  is  it  not,  Mrs.  Smith1? 

Dr.  Worden,  another  eminent  Presbyterian, 
says:  "This  book  must  have  been  given  unto 
you  by  the  Father  in  Heaven,  both  in  its  con- 
ception and  in  its  composition."  Nothing 
could  be  much  stronger  than  that,  could  it, 
Mrs.  Smith? 

Here  is  what  Mr.  Edward  Bok,  the  editor  of 
the  "Ladies'  Home  Journal,"  says:  "Other 
books  have  told  other  things,  but  you  have 
compassed  the  whole  subject." 
15 


226  CANVASS  FOR  YOi\\G  BOY. 

Here  is  Rev.  F.  B.  Meyer,  the  eminent 
preacher  and  devotional  writer  of  London : 
"I  should  like  to  see  a  wide  and  judicious  dis- 
tribution of  this  literature  among  Christian 
circles.  ' ' 

Here  is  Bishop  Vincent,  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  Lady  Henry  Somerset,  President  of 
the  World's  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union.  Note,  Mrs.  Smith,  what  she  says:  "I 
have  long  felt  that  we  do  not  do  enough  to 
warn  our  children  against  the  particular  dif- 
ficulties that  are  certain  to  meet  them  as  they 
go  out  into  li  That  is  the  cxpcrienr 

every  true  mother,  is  it  not,  Mrs.  Smith? 

Here  is  Anthony  Comstock,  who  has  done  so 
much  to  protect  the  boys  and  girls  of  this 
country.  He  says:  "Every  parent  who  has 
a  boy  would  be  benefited  if  he  would  carefully 
read  this  book  and  then  communicate  the  facts 
to  his  boy." 

Dr.  rJosiah  Strong,  the  great  preacher,  says: 
"A  foolish  and  culpable  silence  on  the  part 
of  most  parents  leaves  their  children  to  learn 
too  often  from  vicious  companions  sacred 
truths  in  an  unhallowed  way." 

That  is  true,  is  it  not,  Mrs.  Smith?  Thou- 
sands of  boys  and  girls  are  annually  ruined 
because  their  parents  do  not  know  how  to  tell 
them  sacred  truths  in  the  proper  way.  This 
book  was  written  for  that  very  purpose. 

"It  always  seems  strange  to  me  that  so 
many  thousands  of  boys  are  allowed  to  go 
wrong  and  make  mistakes  simply  because  no 
one  tells  them  what  they  ought  to  know.  I 


CANVA88  FOR  YOUNG  BOY.  227 

expect  you  find  it  hard  to  tell  your  boy  all 
you  want  him  to  know  about  himself.  It 
would  be  hard  to  answer  all  of  a  boy's  ques- 
tions, so  this  book  is  written  with  the  idea 
that  it  can  be  read  to  a  young  boy,  or  it  can 
be  given  to  a  boy  to  read  for  himself  when  he 
is  old  enough.  Life  will  be  safer  for  the  boy 
who  understands  his  own  nature  and  feels  that 
he  is  responsible  for  how  he  lives.  If  he  once 
realizes  that  his  whole  future  health  and  hap- 
piness depends  upon  his  habits  and  what  he 
does  when  he  is  a  boy  it  certainly  ought  to 
make  life  safer  for  him. 

"This  is  the  complete  book.  It  contains  all 
that  a  young  boy  ought  to  know  and  noth- 
ing that  he  ought  not  to  know,  and  is  written 
in  a  simple  way  that  a  boy  will  understand. 
This  book  uses  illustrations  from  nature  and  is 
so  interesting  that  every  boy  wants  to  read  it. 

"By  this  time  her  attention  has  ripened  into 
interest.  Her  interest  should  have  changed 
to  desire,  and  her  desire  to  a  resolve  to  buy. 
It  is  therefore  time  to  close  the  order,  so  pause 
and  allow  her  to  think  seriously  for  a  brief 
moment.  If  she  asks  you  the  price  or  when 
you  intend  to  deliver,  tell  her  the  price,  or 
say:  "Of  course,  this  is  a  scientific  book.  It 
is  the  result  of  twenty  years  of  special  thought 
and  study  by  a  man  of  international  reputa- 
tion, and  it  is  the  only  book  of  its  kind  in  the 
world.  So  you  would  expect  it  to  cost  a  great 
deal,  but  the  author  wants  to  sell  it  at  so  small 
a  cost  that  every  boy  in  the  country  can  get 
one,  so  I  am  bringing  it  to  you  for  the  very 


228  CANVA88  FOR  YOUNG  BOY. 

small  outlay  of  $1.00,  and  I  imagine  you  feel 
like  thousands  of  mothers  and  would  like  your 
boy  to  read  it.  I  am  planning  to  deliver  here 
about  the  last  of  the  month,  about  three  weeks 
from  Monday,  but  I  can  make  special  arrange- 
ments to  get  you  one  to-morrow  if  you  would 
like  to  get  it  so  soon.  Would  you  like  to  i 
as  soon  as  that!"  Many  parents  want  it  at 
once. 

"If  she  says  yes,  she  would  like  to  have  it 
right  away,  write  her  order  out  immediately. 
If  she  says  no,  she  wouldn't  want  it  so  soon, 
say,  'All  right  then,  I  don't  suppose  you 
would  want  it  before  my  regular  delivery, 
would  you?'  If  she  says  no,  say,  'All  riirht, 
thank  you.  I  can  arrange  to  bring  it  then.' 

601.  "After  closing  the  order  and  having 
her  sign,  continue: 

"I  think  every  person  ought  to  have  a 
chance  to  see  these  books  and  I  want  to  call 
at  every  house  on  this  street  while  I  am  here 
this  morning.  Are  there  any  children  in  the 
next  house,  in  the  one  next  to  that,  just  be- 
low there.  Thank  you. 

602.  "Most  people  to  whom  you  sell  will 
mention  without   requesting  them,  several   of 
their  friends  on  their  own  street  and  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  town.    It  is  your  business 
to  direct  this  part  of  the  conversation  so  that 
the  information  you  thus  receive  shall  be  in 
systematic  order  according  to  how  you  are  ar- 
ranging your  note  book  of  reference  for  th.it 
community.      But    it    is    especially   important 
that  you  should  learn  about  the  people  living 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  BOY.  229 

on  this  street  on  which  you  are  working,  and  it 
is  highly  important  that  you  should  continue 
your  work  where  you  are,  no  matter  how  much 
you  may  be  tempted  by  especially  good  refer- 
ences to  go  to  another  section.  At  least  stay 
there  until  the  end  of  your  morning  or  after- 
noon work. 

603.  "The  above  canvass  is  simply  a  con- 
versation.    It  should  be  read  slowly  word  by 
word  in  order  to  see  how  impressive  it  may  be 
made.    One  should  know  where  to  put  the  em- 
phasis and  when  to  dwell  upon  special  phases 
of  thought  which  seem  to  best  hold  the  at- 
tention.    Never  be  satisfied  with  an  order  for 
only  one  book.    Aim  high." 

604.  A  canvasser  can  make  a  good  impres- 
sion by  saying  some  pleasant,  complimentary 
things  about  the  appearance  of  the  home  or  if 
the  woman  is  a  Sunday-school  teacher,  on  the 
importance  of  the  work  and  the  necessity  of 
her  becoming  intelligent  herself  on  these  mat- 
ters, so   that  she  can  really  understand  her 
class  of  boys  and  know  how  to  deal  with  them 
sympathetically  and  helpfully. 

If  you  find  that  her  child  is  very  young  you 
should  use  the  arguments  which  are  set  forth 
in  paragraph  518. 

605.  If  the  order  is  not  forthcoming  after 
following  the  above  canvass  it  may  be  wise 
to  call  her  attention  to  the  table  of  contents 
and    say:    "Mrs.    Smith,    read   this   table   of 
contents.     This  will  show  you  the  beautiful, 
sympathetic  and  instructive  manner  in  which 
the  author  discusses  these  important  matters. 


230  CANVA88  FOR  TOUyG  BOY. 

This  one  chapter  in  which  he  explains  so  clear- 
ly and  impressively  to  a  child  the  importance 
of  eliminating  the  waste  fluids  and  solids  from 
the  body  is  itself  worth  more  than  the  price 
of  the  book. 

The  canvasser  would  do  well  also  to  call  at- 
tention to  the  subjects  of  the  different  "Par: 
of  Young  Boy.    The  chapter  headings  can  also 
be  named  if  necessary. 

606.  The   following   can    also    be    used:    I 
want  to  show  you,  Mrs.  Smith,  the  prints  of 
some  of  the  different  languages  into  which  this 
book  has  been  translated.     Here  is  Japanese. 
In  India  this  book   has  been  translated  into 
several  languages.    Here  is  Urdoo,  one  of  the 
three  Court  Languages  of  India;  here  is  Ben- 
gali, the  language  of  Bengal.    Here  is  Telo.iru. 
and    as   you    will    see,   here   is   also   Swedish, 
Dutch    (the   language   of   Holland),   German, 
French,  Spanish,  Korean  and  other  languages. 

When  traveling  Dr.  Stall  has  met  quite  a 
number  of  persons  who  have  translated  his 
books  for  their  own  children.  He  has  met 
three  mothers  in  France  alone  who  translated 
this  book  before  it  was  published  in  that 
language  for  their  own  children. 

607.  Supplemental    Canvass. — For    a   sup- 
plemental canvass  of  "What  A  Young  Boy 
Ought  To  Know"  the  canvasser  can  call  the 
attention   of  the  parent   to  the  character  in 
which  the  origin  of  life  is  explained  in  Part 
First,  from  Page  43  to  86. 

First,  the  author  shows  the  difference  be- 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  BOY.  231 

tween  creating  and  making.  When  God  cre- 
ates He  makes  something  out  of  nothing.  When 
we  make  a  thing  we  simply  take  the  materials 
which  already  exist,  change  their  form  and 
thus  build  a  house,  make  a  chair  or  something 
else. 

When  God  had  finished  the  work  of  creation 
He  gave  to  the  plants,  fishes  and  animals  the 
power  to  perpetuate  themselves.  To  man  He 
gave  a  somewhat  similar  power  by  lifting  them 
to  the  highest  plane  possible,  by  making  them 
pro-creators,  or  creators  in  His  stead.  No 
higher,  holier  or  more  sacred  office  could  have 
been  given  to  mankind. 

After  this  the  author  explains  plant  life. 
The  mamma  nature  and  the  papa  nature,  some- 
times present  in  the  same  flower,  sometimes 
present  in  separate  flowers  on  the  same  stalk, 
sometimes  separated  upon  different  stalks,  and 
explains  how  the  wind,  the  bees  and  insects 
carry  the  pollen  from  the  papa  plant  to  the 
mamma  plant. 

Next  he  takes  the  oyster  and  shows  how 
there  is  the  mamma  nature  and  the  papa  na- 
ture in  the  same  body.  Then  he  takes  the 
fishes  and  shows  that  the  seed  of  the  plant  and 
the  roes  of  the  fish  are  one  and  the  same  thing, 
or  two  different  names  for  what  is  really  the 
same.  Then  he  takes  the  birds,  shows  their 
very  beautiful  and  interesting  life  in  a  most 
enticing  way  to  children. 

Then  he  takes  the  animals  and  shows  how 
much  more  important  are  these  higher  forms 
of  life,  and  how  essential  that  the  egg  should 


232  CANVASS  FOR  YOUXG  BOY. 

not  be  destroyed  while  it  is  being  unfolded 
and  developed  and  therefore  God  has  provided 
the  nest  in  the  body  of  the  mother  animal 
where  this  germ  of  life  cannot  be  destroyed 
,;n<l  where  it  is  unfolded  and  developed  until 
;  ble  to  live  its  own  independent  life  in 
outer  world. 

You  will  see,  Mrs.  Jones,  how  beautifully 
this  whole  subject  is  unfolded,  and  without  the 
.-lightest  suggestion  of  evil  to  the  most  deli- 
cate mind.  Indeed,  we  have  never  known  of 
a  child,  it  matters  not  how  young,  to  whom 
this  subject  of  the  origin  of  life  was  explained 
in  this  delicate  way  who  ever  asked  a  single 
embarrassing  question,  or  whose  curiosity  was 
not  fully  satisfied  without  a  single  further  in- 
quiry. Indeed,  it  is  the  only  right  and  proper 
and  satisfactory  way  to  answer  a  child's  ques- 
tions. 

The  canvasser  should  also  read  the  "Fore- 
word to  Parents "  in  "What  A  Young  Boy 
Ought  To  Know,"  and  by  reading  Part  First 
from  page  41  to  86,  in  the  same  book,  he  will 
have  a  fuller  unfolding  of  the  supplemental 
canvass  which  we  have  just  narrated. 

The  canvasser  should  also  carefully  read  the 
little  pamphlet  entitled  "Parental  Honesty, " 
copies  of  which  can  be  secured  without  cost 
by  simply  sending  the  amount  of  postage  to 
pay  carriage.  These  pamphlets  can  oftentimes 
be  used  effectively  with  mothers  who  think 
they  have  a  boy  or  girl  who  has  never  thought 
of  these  things.  By  giving  one  of  these  pam- 
phlets to  the  parents,  and  having  them  prom- 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  BOY.  233 

ise  to  read  it,  and  then  by  calling  back  in  a 
day  or  two  a  sale  can  very  generally  be  ef- 
fected. It  is  not  only  a  matter  of  sale,  but  it 
is  also  a  matter  of  doing  a  misisonary  work, 
opening  the  eyes  of  parents  to  the  importance 
of  properly  safeguarding  their  children,  and 
by  this  method  the  canvasser  can  oftentimes 
render  a  service  which  will  result  in  the  saving 
of  a  boy  or  girl. 

The  idea  in  mind  when  preparing  the  pre- 
ceding canvass  of  " Young  Boy"  was  its  use 
by  a  man  in  canvassing  a  mother.  When  the 
canvasser  is  a  woman  she  can  use  a  somewhat 
different  method  to  advantage.  There  are 
things  which  it  might  be  proper  for  her  to  say 
which  might  not  be  becoming  for  a  young  man 
when  canvassing  the  mother.  The  woman  can- 
vasser can  unfold  more  fully  what  is  found  in 
Part  First  of  this  book  and  also  the  subjects 
found  in  the  different  chapters  of  the  book. 


234  CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN. 


SUGGESTIONS    FOB    THE    CANVASSING 
OF  ''YOUNG  MAN." 

G08.  This  canvass  is  written  to  be  sugges- 
tive to  young  men  in  canvassing  young  men. 
\Vhen  women  canvass  young  men  ti 
.-li.Lrlitly  modify  the  following  so  as  to  adapt 
it  to  their  use.  Even  a  young  man  when  can- 
vassing for  this  book  can  be  more  vigorous 
when  talking  to  young  men  than  when  talk- 
ing to  mothers  or  seeking  to  sell  this  book  to 
the  sister  as  a  present  for  her  brother. 

Good  morning,  is  this  Mr.  Smith,  my  name 
Jones.  I  am  calling  at  the  suggestion  of 
your  neighbor,  Mr.  Brown.  I  am  very  busy 
this  morning,  but  if  you  can  spare  me  a  mo- 
i,I  must  take  the  time  to  explain  to  you 
the  great  work  which  I  am  doing  in  this  town 
among  the  young  men.  They  are  being  inter- 
ested in  large  numbers  and  I  am  sure  you  will 
want  to  learn  of  this  movement.  (If  it  is  in 
a  store  or  shop,  moving  to  one  side,  say,  "We 
might  step  over  here  out  of  the  way,"  by  this 
act  you  become  his  entertainer  rather  than  his 
guest.) 

You  appreciate,  I  am  sure,  the  great  difficul- 
ty and  at  the  same  time  the  tremendous  im- 
portance of  securing  thoroughly  reliable  and 
accurate  information  upon  the  subject  of  the 
reproductive  life.  It  is  a  subject  which  is  of 
most  vital  importance  to  everybody,  and  yet 
people  ordinarily  know  very  little  about  it. 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN.  235 

I  find  that  pretty  much  every  one  I  meet 
has  heard  of  the  Purity  Books  in  the  Self  and 
Sex  Series.  Not  many  have  ever  had  the  op- 
portunity of  seeing  the  books  themselves,  al- 
though they  are  advertised  in  nearly  every 
prominent  magazine.  They  are  known  the 
world  over  and  have  been  translated  into  some 
fourteen  different  languages. 

Opening  the  case,  say:  This  is  the  set  of 
books,  and  the  character  of  each  you  will  un- 
derstand from  the  titles.  The  first  is  "What 
A  Young  Boy  Ought  To  Know,"  then  "What 
A  Young  Man  Ought  To  Know,"  "What  A 
Young  Husband  Ought  To  Know,"  "What 
A  Man  of  Forty-five  Ought  To  Know."  These 
four  books  to  men  were  written  by  Dr.  Syl- 
vanus  Stall.  Then  there  is  a  corresponding 
series  to  girls  and  women  entitled  "What  A 
Young  Girl  Ought  To  Know,"  and  "What  A 
Young  Woman  Ought  To  Know,"  written  by 
Dr.  Mary  Wood- Allen,  and  "Wlhat  A  Young 
Wife  Ought  To  Know"  and  "What  A  Wo- 
man of  Forty-five  Ought  To  Know,"  written 
by  Dr.  Emma  F.  A.  Drake.  Hold  the  case  so 
he  can  read  the  names,  repeat  the  titles  slow- 
ly, and  point  to  them  as  you  repeat  them. 

I  presume  this  is  the  one  you  would  prefer 
to  look  at  first,  "What  A  Young  Man  Ought 
To  Know."  There  are  many  things  which  a 
young  man  ought  to  know,  but  which  it  is 
pretty  difficult  for  him  to  find  out.  There 
seems  to  be  a  pretty  effective  conspiracy  of 
silence  between  parents,  teachers,  ministers 
and  doctors  for  pretty  much  all  leave  young 


236  CANVASS  FOR  YOUXQ  MAN. 

people  in  ignorance  to  learn  by  sad  experience 
through  years  of  blind  blundering. 

Here  is  the  picture  of  Dr.  Stall,  the  author 
of  the  books  in  the  series  to  men.  That  he  is 
a  man  with  a  message  of  real  helpfulness  to 
men  is  demonstrated  by  the  fact  that  more 
than  a  million  copies  of  these  books  in  Eng- 
lish alone  have  been  sold,  and  there  is  not  a 
country  on  the  globe  where  they  are  not  known 
and  read.  Dr.  Stall  recognized  the  need  for 
this  information,  and  he  has  supplied  it  in 
language  which  anybody  can  understand.  There 
are  no  incomprehensible  medical  terms,  and 
no  medical  dictionary  is  needed  in  reading 
these  books.  Even  the  Secretary  of  the 
United  States  Navy  has  placed  a  copy  of  these 
books  in  the  library  of  every  United  States 
gun-boat  afloat.  The  Government  wants  its 
men  to  have  nothing  but  the  best  and  most 
reliable  books  upon  these  subjects. 

The  medical  teaching  of  these  books  has 
been  endorsed  by  all  the  medical  journals  in 
this  country  and  Great  Britain.  Dr.  Eugene 
H.  Porter,  one  of  the  most  eminent  medical 
men  in  New  York  State  (see  Commendations 
just  in  front  of  the  author's  portrait),  says: 
"As  a  medical  man  I  heartily  endorse  the 
medical  teachings  of  the  book.  It  is  a  work 
which  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  young 
man."  It  is  commended  in  similar  terms  by 
thousands  of  physicians  everywhere.  The 
physicians  in  every  community  are  our  most 
hearty  supporters. 

John   W.   Philip,   late    Commodore    of   the 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN.  237 

United  States  Navy,  says:  "This  book  im- 
presses me  as  a  volume  of  serious  importance 
and  skilful  handling  of  a  delicate  subject." 

Here  is  Charles  M.  Sheldon,  the  author  of 
"In  His  Steps "  and  various  other  books  which 
have  made  him  known  the  world  around.  Let 
me  read  you  his  commendation:  "It  is  a  pleas- 
ure to  call  attention,"  etc. 

I  haven 't  time  to  call  your  attention  to  what 
each  of  these  men  say,  but  here  is  Rev.  Francis 
E.  Clarke,  the  founder  of  the  Christian  En- 
deavor Society;  here  is  Frederick  Anthony 
Atkins,  the  editor  of  "Young1  Man,"  and  one 
of  the  prominent  figures  of  England;  here  is 
Rev.  Dr.  Clifford,  who  figures  so  prominently 
in  every  great  political  movement  in  England ; 
here  is  Bishop  McVickar,  of  Rhode  Island; 
here  is  President  Faunce,  of  Brown  Univer- 
sity; John  R.  Mott,  Chairman  of  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  of  the  Student  Volunteer 
Movement;  Gov.  Vansant,  of  Minnesota;  Dr. 
Warfield,  President  of  Lafayette  College; 
Frank  W.  Ober,  the  editor  of  the  periodical 
published  by  the  Young  Men's  Christian  As- 
sociation; Dr.  J.  Wilbur ,  Chapman,  the  suc- 
cessor of  Mr.  Moody  as  the  leading  evangel- 
ist in  this  country;  Dr.  Andrews,  Chancellor 
of  the  University  of  Nebraska,  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Porter,  assistant  pastor  to  Dr.  Hillis,  of  Ply- 
mouth Church,  formerly  served  by  Henry 
Ward  Beecher  in  Brooklyn.  I  want  to  read 
you  what  he  says:  "In  my  opinion  no  other 
one  man  has  done  so  great  service  to  his  fel- 
lowmen,  even  in  all  history,  as  Dr.  Stall  is 


238  CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN. 

doing  through  these  books.  They  reach  the 
very  foundations  of  life  on  which  all  char- 
acter is  built. "  Nothing  could  possibly  be 
stronger  than  that,  could  it,  Mr.  Smith! 

Here  is  William  T.  Stead,  the  editor  of  "The 
Review  of  Reviews,"  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent figures  in  England.  He  says:  "It  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  in  the  interest  of  future 
generations  that  indispensable  information 
upon  the  most  important  of  all  subjects  should 
be  accessible  to  every  one." 

You  see,  Mr.  Smith,  that  these  men  would 
not  allow  their  names  to  be  associated  with 
nny thing  unless  it  was  of  the  very  highest 
grade  and  of  the  utmost  importance. 

Here  is  a  condensed  table  of  contents.  This 
first  chapter  on  " Equipment  for  Life"  is  of 
utmost  importance.  "This  is  the  grandest 
period  of  the  world  in  which  to  live, ' '  it  shows 
the  great  opportunities  which  are  before  every 
young  man  and  how  he  is  to  meet  them.  In 
this  chapter  he  shows  clearly  why  thousands 
of  weak  men  go  down  in  the  fierce  struggle  of 
life.  As  the  author  says,  "the  weak  man  is 
handicapped."  That's  true,  is  it  not,  Mr. 
Smith  T 

"The  reason  why  the  weaker  fail  is  because 
their  competitors  are  physically  stronger,  and 
are  able  to  accomplish  more."  Let  me  ex- 
plain: "If  a  young  man  uses  seventy-five  per 
cent,  of  his  energy  every  day  running  his  body 
and  has  only  twenty-five  per  cent,  left  to  run 
his  business,  another  man  who  uses  up  only 
fifty  per  cent,  of  his  energy  running  his  body 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN.  239 

has  got  fifty  per  cent,  left  to  run  his  business, 
and  he  ought  to  be  able  to  do  twice  as  much 
business  and  earn  twice  as  big  a  salary  as  the 
first  fellow.  That  is  clear,  is  it  not?  I  am 
willing  to  pay  for  a  book  and  so  are  you,  Mr. 
Smith,  that  will  teach  us  how  to  be  stronger 
and  able  to  earn  more  money." — (J.  S.  K.) 

This  second  chapter  treats  of  the  reproduc- 
tive nature,  and  shows  its  relation  to  the  phy- 
sical. This  third  chapter  is  on  physical  weak-  ' 
ness,  and  the  author  treats  it  under  the  heads 
of  "inherited  weakness"  and  "acquired 
weakness."  In  this  chapter  the  author  treats 
those  subjects  of  "losses"  which  perplex  so 
many  young  men  and  expose  them  to  the 
thousands  of  quacks  and  impostors  who  prey 
upon  mankind  everywhere.  Every  man  wants 
to  understand  these  subjects,  Mr.  Smith,  and 
Dr.  Stall  tells  us  the  truth  plainly  and  frankly. 
This  chapter  alone  is  worth  the  price  of  the 
book. 

In  the  chapters  four,  five  and  six  on  "evils 
to  be  shunned  and  consequences  to  be  dread- 
ed," Dr.  Stall  treats  of  the  results  of  the  dis- 
eases which  accompany  vice.  No  man,  young 
or  old,  single  or  married  can  afford  to  be  ig- 
norant of  these  subjects,  can  he,  Mr.  Smith? 
These  diseases  are  wide-spread  and  no  other 
diseases  to  which  human  flesh  is  heir  are  so 
terrible  in  their  consequences,  and  yet  there  is 
no  other  subject  so  little  understood  as  these 
"very  diseases.  The  advance  of  medical  knowl- 
edge upon  these  very  subjects  during  the  last 
ten  years  has  been  wonderful.  These  chapters 


240  CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN. 

are  up  to  date  and  are  reliable  in  every  partic- 
ular. Dr.  Neisser,  the  discoverer  of  the  germ 
of  gonorrhea,  has  given  Dr.  Stall's  work  upon 
this  subject  the  most  unqualified  commenda- 
tion. Even  innocent  and  unoffending  persons 
are  oftentimes  exposed  to  these  diseases  and 
every  young  man  should  be  intelligent  upon 
these  subjects.  Not  only  his  own  safety,  but 
the  well-being  of  his  descendants  depends  upon 
it.  So  important  are  these  subjects  that  the 
International  Committee  of  the  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  in  New  York,  sent  ten 
thousand  copies  of  these  chapters  for  free  dis- 
tribution by  the  Secretaries  in  India,  China 
and  Japan. 

I  would  like  to  read  you  from  these  differ- 
ent chapters,  but  neither  of  us  have  the  time. 
If  I  began  you  wouldn  't  want  me  to  stop.  No 
fiction  was  ever  so  interesting  as  this  presen- 
tation of  facts.  Chapter  seven  is  upon  "the 
purpose  and  prostitution  of  the  reproductive 
system."  This  is  a  highly  important  chapter. 
Chapter  eight  deals  with  "the  right  relations 
to  women."  Running  over  the  rest  of  the 
chapters  hastily  you  will  see  the  character  of 
the  remainder  of  the  book:  "Marriage," 
"Who  Should  Not  Marry,"  "The  Selection  of 
a  Wife,"  "Importance  of  Great  Caution," 
"Early  and  Late  Marriage,"  "Weddings," 
"Hindrances  To  Be  Avoided,"  "Helps  To 
Be  Used." 

Mr.  Smith,  did  you  ever  see  a  more  compre- 
hensive, complete  or  satisfactory  outline  for  a 
book  to  young  men  than  that?  If  you  could 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN.  241 

see  the  piles  of  letters  written  by  young  men 
in  every  quarter  of  the  globe  to  the  author 
you  would  understand  why  this  book  has  been 
welcomed  in  every  land  under  the  sun. 

At  this  point  the  canvasser  should  judge 
whether  to  seek  to  close  the  order,  or  to  at- 
tempt to  go  forward  and  canvass  for  "What 
A  Young  Husband  Ought  To  Know"  also.  If 
he  decides  to  go  forward  the  following  sug- 
gestions will  be  helpful.  If  the  young  man 
is  under  twenty  years  of  age  the  canvasser 
should  not  attempt  to  sell  him  the  book  to 
Young  Husbands;  but  with  young  men  above 
twenty-one  years  of  age  he  should  not  only 
seek  to  sell  him  "What  A  Young  Husband 
Ought  To  Know,"  but  the  entire  series  both 
to  men  and  women.  There  is  nothing  in  any 
of  these  books  which  a  person  of  mature  years 
may  not  read  with  perfect  propriety.  Even 
the  set  of  books  to  boys  and  men  may  be  read 
by  young  women  of  mature  years,  not  only 
with  perfect  propriety,  but  with  great  advan- 
tage both  to  themselves,  their  husbands  and 
their  families;  but  no  canvasser  should  seek 
to  sell  these  books  to  minors.  The  book  to 
boys  and  the  book  to  girls  should  come  into 
the  hands  of  children  through  their  own  pa- 
rents, teachers,  pastors,  physicians  or  others. 
609.  Going  on  with  the  canvass  say: 
Now  let  me  show  you  in  just  a  moment  the 
companion  book  "What  A  Young  Husband 
Ought  To  Know. "  I  am  not  married  and  pos- 
sibly you  are  not  married,  but  whether  you  are 
or  whether  you  are  not,  you  ought  to  have 

16 


242  CANVASS  FOR  YODNO  MAN. 

these  two  books.  Every  man  of  our  age  na- 
turally looks  forward  to  marriage  and  he 
ought  to  be  intelligent  upon  this  matter,  ought 
he  not,  Mr.  Smith  t 

This  book  is  divided  into  three  parts.  First, 
what  a  young  husband  ought  to  know  "con- 
cerning himself;"  second,  what  he  ought  to 
know  "concerning  his  wife"  when  she  is  a 
bride,  when  she  becomes  an  expectant  mother, 
and  it  tells  just  what  he  ought  to  kn<>\\ 
throughout  all  the  months  which  precede  and 
follow  the  advent  of  life  into  his  family.  The 
closing  part  is  devoted  to  what  he  ought  to 
know  "concerning  his  children." 

How  much  do  you  suppose,  Mr.  Smith,  that 
most  young  men  actually  know  upon  these 
vital  subjects?  Practically  nothing  concern- 
ing their  own  physical  life,  and  the  physical 
life  of  woman.  The  average  man  knows 
little  about  himself,  and  much  less  about  the 
physical  life  of  the  woman  whose  guardian  and 
defender  and  benefactor  he  becomes  or  is 
supposed  to  become. 

This  book  was  written  by  the  same  author 
as  the  book  to  young  men,  and  is  endorsed  by 
men  equally  eminent.  Some  ministers  give  a 
copy  of  "What  A  Young  Husband  Ought  To 
Know"  and  "What  A  Young  Wife  Ought  To 
Know"  with  every  marriage  certificate.  As 
you  will  see,  this  book  is  also  commended  by 
the  most  eminent  people  in  this  country. 

Dr.  Sheldon  says:  "I  hope  this  message  may 
be  used  for  the  bettering  of  the  homes  of  the 
world."  Rev.  F.  B.  Meyer,  the  great  preacher 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN.  243 

and  devotional  writer  of  London  says:  "I 
should  like  to  see  a  wide  and  judicious  distri- 
bution of  this  literature  among  Christian  cir- 
cles." Former  Mayor  Jones,  of  Toledo,  so 
widely  known  throughout  the  United  States, 
commends  the  books  in  a  similar  way. 

Edward  Bok,  the  editor  of  the  "Ladies' 
Home  Journal, ' '  one  of  the  leading  periodicals 
of  this  country,  which  has  a  circulation  of 
over  a  million  copies  monthly,  says:  "It  is  an 
honest  little  book  and  every  young  married 
man  who  reads  it  cannot  fail  to  be  helped  by 
it  and  helped  materially.7'  Here  you  will  see 
the  portraits  of  such  eminent  women  as  Mrs. 
Helen  Campbell,  Mrs.  May  Wright  Sewall,  Dr. 
Herrick  Johnson,  Bishop  Vincent,  Dr.  Clarke, 
Josiah  Strong  and  others. 

But,  Mr.  Smith,  I  want  to  call  your  especial 
attention  to  what  some  of  the  eminent  physi- 
cians say.  There  is  possibly  no  more  emi- 
nent surgeon  in  the  United  States  to-day  than 
Dr.  Howard  A.  Kelly,  of  Baltimore.  Note 
what  he  says:  "If  the  knowledge  contained  in 
it  were  more  generally  diffused  many  sad  du- 
ties left  to  the  physician  would  become  unnec- 
essary. ' ' 

Dr.  Bangs,  also  a  very  eminent  surgeon  of 
New  York,  says:  "I  have  recommended  it  to 
a  good  many  old  as  well  as  young  husbands." 
He  says  also,  "I  shall  continue  to  commend 
it,  and  also  the  other  books  of  the  series." 

Dr.  Boldt  speaks  of  it  in  a  similar  way  and 
Dr.  Eugene  H.  Porter,  another  very  eminent 
physician  says:  "This  book  should  be  in  the 


244  CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN. 

hands  of  every  young  man  who  contemplates 
marriage. "  Note  what  he  says  here:  " Hap- 
piness and  health  will  be  with  those  who  heed 
its  teachings. "  Here  are  other  eminent  phy- 
sicians who  commend  it  in  similar  terms. 

If  you  wish,  Mr.  Smith,  I  can  write  your 
order  for  this  book  in  a  separate  list  which  I 
carry,  for  I  occasionally  find  that  young  men 
do  not  like  to  have  others  know  that  they  pur- 
chase this  book,  lest  they  might  think  that 
they  are  about  to  be  married.  The  fact,  how- 
ever, is  that  no  man  ought  to  wait  until  he  is 
about  to  be  married  before  reading  this  book. 
This  and  "What  A  Young  Man  Ought  To 
Know"  are  two  of  the  most  important  books 
in  the  series.  I  shall  be  delivering  in  this 
neighborhood  in  two  weeks,  or  I  can  bring 
you  your  books  earlier  if  you  prefer. 

Thank  you,  Mr.  Smith,  I  am  sure  that  after 
reading  them  you  will  not  be  willing  to  sell 
your  copies  of  these  books  at  ten  dollars  each, 
if  you  could  not  purchase  duplicates  of  them. 

610.  Mr.  Smith,  like  every  other  man  of 
mature  mind  you  ought  also  to  have  the  cor- 
responding books,  "What  A  Young  Woman 
Ought  To  Know,"  and  "What  A  Young  Wife 
Ought  To  Know."  Let  me  show  you  these 
books.  Here  they  are.  Running  rapidly  over 
the  tables  of  contents  of  "What  A  Young  Wo- 
man Ought  To  Know"  and  then  "What  A 
Young  Wife  Ought  To  Know." 

I  sell  more  of  these  four  books  than  of  any 
other  books  in  the  set.  It  is  perfectly  natural 
and  right  for  every  pure-minded  man  to  know 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN.  245 

about  the  opposite  sex.  Indeed,  it  is  his  duty, 
as  he  is  at  all  times  to  be  their  guardian  and 
defender.  Is  it  not  true,  Mr.  Smith,  he  stands 
as  the  defender,  not  only  of  his  own  mother 
and  sister,  but  he  is  to  be  the  guardian  and 
defender  of  his  wife  and  of  his  daughters.  The 
desire  for  information  upon  these  subjects  is 
not  only  proper,  but  laudable,  and  these  books 
fully  satisfy  the  mind  of  every  man  whose  mo- 
tives are  pure  and  right  in  seeking  informa- 
tion. Indeed,  this  is  the  right  way  to  secure 
the  information  and  not  by  a  resort  to  vicious 
practices  as  is  frequently  so  common. 

If  your  customer  commits  himself  to  the 
purchase  of  the  four  books,  and  his  interest 
warrants  and  you  deem  it  best,  you  may  pro- 
ceed with  your  canvass  by  saying : 

"Mr.  Jones,  why  not  take  the  entire  set  and 
understand  the  whole  subject  from  beginning 
to  end.  These  books  are  written  very  much  in 
the  order  of  an  educational  series,  and  the 
book  to  young  boys  is  as  interesting  as  any  of 
them,  and  this  last  book  in  the  series,  "What 
A  Man  of  Forty-five  Ought  To  Know,"  con- 
tains information  of  eminent  importance  to 
every  man.  Pretty  much  every  man  knows 
that  there  is  a  period  of  physical  change  in  the 
life  of  woman,  but  very  few  men  know  that 
there  is  a  change  in  the  physical  life  of  man. 
Together  a  husband  and  wife  constitute  the 
reproductive  unit,  and  it  is  only  natural  to  ex- 
pect corresponding  changes  in  both  parts  of 
this  unity.  This  is  the  only  book  written  upon 
the  changes  which  take  place  in  the  physical 


246  CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN. 

life  of  man  at  middle  life  and  beyond.  This 
book  was  most  heartily  welcomed  by  the  entire 
medical  press,  and  it  has  been  generally  pro- 
nounced a  most  wonderful  book  upon  this  sub- 
ject. 

The  price  of  these  books,  Mr.  Smith,  is 
printed  on  the  title  page.  They  are  $1.00  per 
copy,  and  they  cannot  be  bought  anywhere  for 
less.  I  take  quite  a  great  many  orders  for 
full  sets,  as  you  will  see  by  my  subscription 
book.  If  you  prefer  I  can  deliver  you  a  couple 
of  copies  in  a  day  or  two,  and  the  remainder 
of  the  set  in  the  course  of  a  month  or  six 
weeks  when  I  am  making  my  other  delivery, 
or  possibly  you  are  like  most  of  my  custom- 
ers who  want  their  books  right  away.  If  so, 
I  can  accommodate  you,  or  I  can  deliver  them 
later  as  you  prefer. 

Isn't  it  strange,  Mr.  Smith,  that  most  peo- 
ple know  more  about  anything  and  everything 
than  they  do  about  themselves?  Farmers  will 
frequently  do  everything  they  can  to  improve 
the  breed  of  their  sheep  and  hogs  and  cattle, 
and  never  give  a  single  thought  or  considera- 
tion to  the  improvement  of  their  own  descen- 
dants. By  intelligence,  such  as  these  books 
are  intended  to  impart,  a  man  may  do  more 
for  his  children  by  proper  forethought  than 
he  can  by  spending  thousands  of  dollars  after 
they  have  been  born  and  grown  up.  The  au- 
thors of  these  books  are  not  only  benefactors 
to  the  persons  who  read  these  books,  but  to 
their  descendants  and  they  lift  the  standard 
of  life  and  being  of  a  whole  nation.  Next  to 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  MAN.  247 

your  Bible  you  cannot  own  a  more  important 
set  of  books  than  these,  Mr.  Smith. 

Thank  you,  Mr.  Smith,  you  will  never  regret 
the  investment  of  these  eight  dollars.  IF  you 
read  these  books  thoughtfully,  you  will  be 
deeply  impressed  by  the  information  they  im- 
part, and  in  later  years  I  am  sure  that  you 
will  say  that  instead  of  being  worth  to  you 
eight  dollars  they  have  been  worth  that  many 
hundreds,  or  perhaps  thousands  of  dollars. 
There  isn't  a  more  important  study  to  man 
than  man  himself,  and  upon  these  subjects  no 
better  books  than  these  were  ever  written. 

Mr.  Smith,  can  you  kindly  give  me  the 
names  of  some  young  men  whom  you  think 
ought  to  be  interested  in  placing  an  entire  set 
of  these  books  in  their  library?  Or  even 
young  men  who  ought  to  purchase  a  copy  of 
"What  A  Young  Man  Ought  To  Know."  I 
should  be  glad  to  call  upon  them.  I  will  not 
use  your  name  unless  you  are  perfectly  willing 
that  I  should  do  so. 

After  persons  have  subscribed  as  a  rule  you 
will  find  them  quite  willing  to  co-operate  with 
you  in  enlisting  the  interest  and  securing  the 
subscription  of  their  personal  friends. 


248     CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  HUSBAND. 


CANVASS  FOR  " YOUNG  HUSBAND." 

611.  For  manner  of  approach,  salutation, 
etc.,  in  this  canvass  the  reader  is  referred  to 
the  suggestions  upon  these  points  in  "  Young 
Boy,"  " Young  Man/'  and  the  "General  Can- 
vass,"    and     also    in     "Young    Girl"     and 
"Young  Woman." 

The  canvasser  should  also  remember  that 
this  book  is  designed  not  only  for  men  re- 
cently married  and  for  those  intending  soon 
to  marry,  or  at  least  who  are  of  marriage- 
able age,  but  also  to  those  who  have  been 
married  even  for  a  long  time.  Many  homes 
are  unhappy  for  the  lack  of  the  information 
which  this  book  contains.  Every  man  of  ma- 
ture years,  whether  a  young  husband  or  an  old 
husband,  or  no  husband  at  all,  needs  the  in- 
formation found  within  these  pages. 

612.  Good  morning,  Mr.  Smith,  I  am  ex- 
ceedingly busy  this  morning,  but  if  you  will 
spare  me  a  few  moments  of  your  time  I  would 
like  to  talk  with  you  upon  a  subject  of  very 
vital  importance.    There  is  scarcely  an  intelli- 
gent person  whom  I  meet  who  has  not  heard 
something  of  the  great  work  in  which  I  am 
engaged.    Every  person  is  interested,  or  should 
be  interested,  in  his  own  physical  well-being 
and  the  well-being  of  his  family,  and  yet,  Mr. 
Smith,  I  meet  very  few  men  who  really  know 
anything  concerning  that  department  of  their 
physical  being  which  after  all  constitutes  the 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  HUSBAND.     249 

very  center  of  our  life  and  being.  Isn't  that 
true,  Mr.  Smith? 

I  want  to  talk  to  you,  Mr.  Smith,  about  the 
reproductive  nature.  You  know  that  when  the 
Creator  took  His  own  infinite  power  to  create 
and  made  the  husband  and  wife  the  reproduc- 
tive unit,  He  gathered  about  the  relations  of 
husband  and  wife,  parent  and  child,  brother 
and  sister,  the  tenderest  and  most  sacred  re- 
lations of  human  life.  He  took  His  own 
power  to  create  and  made  the  husband  and 
wife,  pro-creators,  or  creators  in  His  stead. 
[FY>r  centuries  the  densest  ignorance  and  the 
grossest  vice  have  gathered  about  this  subject. 
The  only  complete  set  of  books  ever  written 
upon  this  subject  for  lay  people  which  has  se- 
cured the  universal  endorsement  of  physicians, 
educators,  intelligent  men  and  women  every- 
where is  Dr.  Stall's  four  books  to  men,  and 
the  four  boots  to  women  by  Dr.  Wood-Allen 
and  Dr.  Drake. 

(Opening  the  case  and  presenting  the  backs 
of  the  books  to  view.)  There  is  a  set  of  books, 
Mr  Smith,  which  has  secured  the  universal 
commendation  of  intelligent  and  good  people 
in  every  country  on  the  globe.  They  have 
been  translated  into  some  fourteen  different 
languages  and  are  known  in  every  land  ( 

gl°The  scope  of  this  set  of  books,  Mr.  Smith, 
you  will  gather  from  the  titles  of  thebooks 
The  books  in  the  series  to  men  are,  mat  A 

IS  " 


250     CANVASS  FOR  YOUXO   HUSBAND. 

Young  Husband  Ought  To  Know"  and  "What 
A  Man  of  Forty-five  Ought  To  Know,"  and 
there  is  a  similar  series,  as  you  will  see  here, 
to  women.  I  want  to  call  your  special  atten- 
tion, Mr.  Smith,  to  this  book  entitled  "What 
A  Young  Husband  Ought  To  Know."  It  tells 
not  only  what  a  young  husband  ought  to  know, 
but  what  every  husband,  young  or  old,  ought 
to  know,  and  what  every  man  of  mature  years 
ought  to  know.  Hundreds  of  homes  where  un- 
happiness  reigns  to-day  might  have  been  happy 
from  the  beginning  if  the  husband  had  had  the 
information  contained  in  this  valuable  book, 
and  hundreds  of  unhappy  men  have  found  in 
this  book  the  solution  of  their  dilliciil! 

I  want  to  show  you,  Mr.  Smith,  the  portrait 
of  the  author  of  this  set  of  books.  Probably 
not  less  than  six  millions  of  people  in  the 
United  States  of  America  have  read  one  or 
other  of  this  series  of  books.  No  other  books 
on  these  subjects  ever  written  have  been  so 
widely  read,  so  universally  commended  and 
exerted  such  a  far-reaching  influence.  Did 
you  ever  know  of  any  other  set  of  books,  Mr. 
Smith,  concerning  which  that  could  be  truth- 
fully saidt 

This  is  not  my  own  statement,  but  that  you 
may  see,  Mr.  Smith,  what  some  of  the  most 
eminent  people  in  the  world  say,  I  must  take 
just  a  moment  to  show  you  the  portraits  and 
a  single  sentence  of  commendation  by  a  few 
of  each  of  these  eminent  people.  The  can- 
vasser should  now  introduce  the  commenda- 
tions after  the  manner  suggested  in  Paragraph 
609. 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  HUSBAND.     251 

Mr.  Smith,  with  your  permission  I  would 
like  to  read  you  just  a  sentence  or  two  from 
the  author's  preface  (page  xxi,  ten  lines) : 
' '  To  many  marriage  is  not  the  source  of  bless- 
ing, etc the  most  ruinous  cost." 

This  book  is  divided  into  three  parts.  First, 
what  a  husband  ought  to  know  concerning 
himself.  Just  notice,  Mr.  Smith,  if  you  will, 
the  contents  of  these  chapters.  The  first  chap- 
ter is  in  reference  to  the  information  the  man 
ought  to  have  concerning  himself  and  his  re- 
lation to  marriage.  I  wish  I  had  time  to  call 
your  attention  to  each  of  the  subjects  treated 
in  this  important  chapter.  The  next  two  chap- 
ters are  upon  the  differences  of  sex.  Men  and 
women  differ  not  only  physically,  but  intellec- 
tually, socially  and  in  every  other  way,  and 
where  these  differences  are  not  comprehended 
and  intelligently  understood,  differences,  dis- 
satisfactions and  dissension  are  sure  to  fol- 
low. Isn't  that  so,  Mr.  Smith?  The  fourth 
chapter  is  on  the  "  Essentials  in  Husband  and 
Home,"  and  then  the  author  takes  up  the 
most  delicate  subjects  of  "The  Physical  Cost 
of  Pro-creation,"  "Marital  Moderation," 
"Defects  and  Deficiencies,"  "Purity  and  Fi- 
delity." 

How  many  men  do  you  think,  Mr.  Smith, 
understand  themselves  and  how  very,  very 
few  understand  anything  concerning  their 
wives.  In  this  "part  second"  the  author  first 
treats  of  "The  Bride,"  secondly  "The  Young 
Wife  and  Motherhood,"  and  all  the  questions 
which  relate  to  the  mystery  of  conception,  and 


252     CANVA88  FOR  YOUNG  HUSBAND. 

the  unfolding  of  human  life.  Each  of  the 
stages  of  development  from  month  to  month 
are  fully  noted  and  explained  with  full  in- 
structions for  the  care  of  the  mother,  the  safe- 
guarding of  the  life  of  the  child,  together  with 
all  the  changes  which  precede,  attend  and  fol- 
low the  birth  of  the  child,  and  Chapter  Six- 
teen is  devoted  to  the  question  of  birth. 

"Part  Third"  is  devoted  to  what  a  hus- 
band ought  to  know  concerning  his  children. 
That  is  an  important  subject,  is  it  not,  Mr. 
Smith  T  The  question  of  "  Heredity. "  Note 
here  what  the  author  says  in  this  table  of  con- 
tents. "The  education  of  a  child  i 
ty  years  before  it  is  born."  Every  intelligent 
man  understands  that  when  you  talk  of  horses 
and  cattle,  but  when  we  talk  of  human  beings 
and  of  our  own  descendants  how  few  under- 
stand anything  upon  this  subject.  Isn't  that 
true,  Mr.  Smith  f  People  know  more  about  the 
strains  of  chickens  and  the  breeds  of  dogs  than 
they  do  about  human  heredity.  Here  is  a 
chapter  on  "Prenatal  Influences,"  also  one  on 
"Childhood." 

Did  you  ever  see  a  more  comprehensive  and 
complete  outline  for  a  book  to  husbands  than 
that,  Mr.  Smith  t  Is  it  any  wonder  that  a 
book  like  that  should  have  won  its  way  around 
the  globe  t 

If  Mr.  Smith  is  interested  try  and  close  the 
order  for  a  copy  of  this  book.  If  not  yet  suf- 
ficiently interested,  call  his  attention  to  other 
features  suggested  by  the  other  canvasses. 
After  securing  his  order  continue  to  canvass 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNd  HUSBAND.     253 

with  a  view  to  securing  his  subscription  for 
additional  books,  or  for  the  entire  series.  Do 
not  be  put  off  by  men  who  have  been  married 
some  years  by  the  suggestion  that  they  do  not 
need  such  a  book.  Call  their  attention  to 
different  subjects  in  the  book  which  will  con- 
vince them  at  once  that  the  book  is  packed 
with  information  concerning  which  they  can- 
not afford  to  be  uninformed  and  ignorant. 


254      CANVASS— MAN  OF  FORTY-FIVE. 


CANVASS  FOR  "MAN  OF  FORTY-FIVE." 

613.  Mr.  Smith,  men  at  forty-five  are  apt 
to  think  that  they  know  about  all  that  can  be 
known  upon  the  subjects  treated  in  this  series. 
The  fact,  however,  is  that  I  scarcely  ever  meet 
a  man  who  is  intelligent  upon  the  sub; 
most  important  to  him  at  that  particular  pe- 
riod of  life.  All  men  know  that  there  are 
marked  changes  that  take  place  in  the  physi- 
cal life  of  woman  at  about  forty  to  fifty  years 
of  age,  but  I  seldom  meet  a  man  who  un<l< -r- 
stands  the  nature  and  extent  of  the  changes 
which  occur  in  the  physical  life  of  man.  Men 
are  as  ignorant  of  the  recessional  of  middle 
life  as  boys  at  fourteen  are  of  the  processional 
of  physical  vigor.  The  changes  which  tak«> 
place  in  men  of  forty-five  are  as  little  under- 
stood by  men  as  the  physical  changes  which 
take  place  in  the  unfolding  life  of  a  boy  who 
passes  from  boyhood  to  manhood.  The  lack 
of  this  knowledge  makes  men  of  middle  life 
such  a  mystery  to  thenr  elves. 

If  the  canvasser  has  not  presented  the  other 
books  in  the  series  to  Mr.  Smith,  he  might 
then  call  attention  to  the  portraits  and  com- 
mendations in  the  front  of  the  book  and  also 
to  the  valuable  press  notices  especially  those 
from  the  medical  papers  and  the  prints  of  for- 
eign translation. 

Mr.  Smith,  this  book  is  divided  into  two 
parts.  The  first  part  treats  of  what  a  man  of 


CANVASS— MAN  OF  FORTY-FIVE.      255 

forty-five  ought  to  know  concerning  himself, 
and  the  second  part  treats  of  what  he  ought 
to  know  concerning  his  wife.  Notice  the  sub- 
jects of  these  chapters:  "The  Physical 
Changes  in  Men  of  Middle  Life/'  This  first 
chapter  shows  how  human  life  is  divided  into 
periods  of  seven  years.  Ten  of  these  periods 
make  the  "three  score  and  ten"  mentioned  in 
the  Bible,  and  the  closing  part  of  this 
chapter  explains  the  reasons  for  the 
changes  in  the  physical  life  of  man. 
Chapter  Two  is  devoted  to  the  evidences 
of  these  changes  and  explains  many  of  the 
conditions  which  men  oftentimes  take  as  an 
evidence  that  the  virile  power  of  men  con- 
tinues uninterruptedly  until  very  advanced 
life.  Chapter  Three  is  devoted  to  the  mani- 
festations of  these  changes  in  middle  life,  and 
Chapter  Four  gives  the  testimony  of  medical 
men  upon  this  subject.  Chapter  T^ve  is  upon 
compensation,  and  notice  the  subjects  of  the 
other  chapters  as  I  read  them  over  hastily: 
"Moderation  En  joined, "  "Moderation  Empha- 
sized," "Virility — How  Destroyed,  How  Pre- 
served," "Functional  Disorders,"  "Enlarge- 
ment of  the  Prostate,"  "The  Marriage  of 
Men  of  Middle  Life,"  "The  Years  Beyond." 
Now,  Mr.  Smith,  here  the  author  takes  up 
Part  Second.  What  A  Man  of  Forty-five 
Ought  To  Know  Concerning  His  Wife.  You 
know  as  a  matter  of  fact,  Mr.  Smith,  that 
many  families  go  to  pieces  at  the  time  the  hus- 
band and  wife  approach  forty  and  fifty  years 
of  age.  This  is  easily  explained  and  the  author 


256      CANVA88— MAN  OF  FORTY-FIVE. 

sets  it  forth  here  in  the  "repellent  periods " 
of  which  this  is  the  most  marked  in  human 
life.     In  Chapter  Fourteen  he  takes  up  the 
change  of  life  in  woman.    At  this  period  wo- 
men are  not  only  a  mystery  to  themselves  but 
oftentimes  a  mystery  to  their  husbands,  and  it 
is  a  husband's  duty  to  understand  his  wife, 
know  how  to  sympathize  with  her  and  how 
best  to  adapt  himself  to  the  changed  condition 
which  is  taking  place  in  his  family.    His 
is  one  part  of  the  reproductive  unit  and  li- 
the other  part, and  it  is  essential  that  he  should 
understand  both   himself  and   his  wife, 
norance  upon  these  subjects  leads  to  in  jus  i 
misunderstanding,     alienations,     estrangement 
and    oftentimes    to    separation    and    divorce. 
Thousands  of  families  would  have  been  span  d 
to   enjoy  peace  and   blessing   if    the   husband 
had  simply  had   the   information   which   this 
book  con  tail 

Note,  Mr.  Smith,  the  contents  of  the  closing 
chapter.  "How  to  Meet  the  Menopause  or 
Change  of  Life,"  "Manifestations  of  the 
Menopause,"  "Attendant  Physical  Changes." 
This  is  a  most  interesting  chapter,  Mr.  Smith, 
and  every  husband  ought  to  understand  it 
thoroughly,  and  this  last  chapter  is  on  the 
mental  manifestations  which  arc  also  of  ut- 
most importance  to  every  person  of  middle 
life.  Do  you  know,  Mr.  Smith,  as  a  matter  of 
fact  the  mortality  tables  show  a  larger  death 
rate  among  men  than  among  women,  between 
the  ages  of  forty  and  fifty  (Page  238^.  This 
book  sets  forth  all  this  information  in  the 


CANVASS— MAN  OF  FORTY-FIVE.      257 

fullest  and  most  satisfactory  way.  Indeed, 
this  book  has  been  pronounced  by  many  per- 
sons as  possibly  the  most  valuable  book  in  the 
series  and  some  have  pronounced  it  the  best 
thing  that  Dr.  Stall  ever  wrote.  One  thing  is 
certain  there  has  never  been  another  book 
written  along  this  line  and  Dr.  Stall  has  done 
this  work  so  well  that  no  one  will  ever  need  to 
write  another  book  upon  this  subject  for  lay- 
men. The  medical  papers  have  pronounced  it 
one  of  the  finest  books  ever  written  upon  the 
subject  of  reproduction  and  the  only  book  de- 
voted to  these  important  subjects  of  middle 
life.  It  is  a  key  not  only  to  the  mysteries 
in  each,  but  in  every  home,  and  no  man  can 
approach  this  period  of  life  ignorant  of  the 
important  subjects  treated  in  this  book.  I 
shall  be  delivering  books  in  this  neighborhood 
in  a  day  or  two,  Mr.  Smith,  and  can  bring 
your  book  at  that  time  or  I  can  defer  its  deliv- 
ery until  two  weeks  when  I  will  be  making  my 
second  delivery  in  this  neighborhood.  Thank 
you,  Mr.  Smith,  I  knew  you  would  appreciate 
such  a  valuable  book  as  this.  No  man  can 
afford  to  be  without  this  information,  can  they, 
Mr.  Smith? 

It  might  be  well  also  to  canvass  Mr.  Smith 
for  a  book,  "Woman  of  Forty-five"  for  his 
wife.  That  book  is  especially  adapted  to  wo- 
men while  the  part  second  of  "Man  of  Forty- 
five  "  is  especially  adapted  to  make  husbands 
intelligent  with  regard  to  the  changes  in  the 
physical  life  of  woman. 

17 


258  A  GENERAL  CANVASS. 


"GENERAL    CANVASS"    FOR    THE    EN- 
TIRE SERIES. 

614.  Approaching  the  house  with  a  deep 
sense  of  the  universal  need  for  these  books  and 
of  their  great  value,  ring  the  bell  with  a 
consciousness  of  your  important  mission.  Be 
more  than  hopeful,  be  confident.  Expect  not 
only  to  get  in  but  to  make  sale  of  the  entire 
M'ries.  Let  the  dignity  of  your  work,  your 
hopefulness  and  confidence  beam  in  your  face. 
Step  back  a  couple  of  feet,  face  the  door  and, 
when  it  is  opened,  smiling  pleasantly,  raise 
your  hat,  saying: 

Is  this  Mrs.  Jones f  My  name  is  Smith.  I 
am  in  in  the  interests  of  the  purity  cam- 
paign, in  which  the  pastors  of  the  local 
churches  are  taking  part,  and  with  your  ; 
mission  I  will  step  in  and  explain  it.  At  the 
same  time  move  forward  confidently  to  m 
picking  up  your  case  from  the  side  of  the  door 
as  you  pass  in.  Dispense  with  your  hat  in 
the  hall  or  in  some  convenient  place.  Step 
into  the  parlor,  or  into  the  kitchen,  according 
to  circumstances.  You  will  always  be  wel- 
comed in  the  kitchen  by  plain  people  if  you 
know  how,  by  word  or  act,  to  make  them  feel 
that  you  are  not  "proud  or  stuck  up."  A 
great  man  always  knows  how  to  adjust  him- 
self to  his  surroundings,  in  palace  or  hovel 
alike. 

Mrs.  Smith,  usually  the  persons  who  have 


A  GENERAL  CANVASS.  259 

been  engaged  in  the  work  of  personal  and  so- 
cial purity  have  come  to  distribute  tracts  and 
leaflets.  The  pastors  of  the  churches  and  all 
who  are  interested  in  this  great  work  have 
found  it  necessary  to  give  this  movement  a 
more  positive  and  permanent  form,  and  to  this 
end  I  want  to  show  you  the  commendation  of 
the  pastors  of  the  churches  of  your  city.  That 
is  a  strong  endorsement,  is  it  not,  Mrs.  Smith  f 
You  will  see  from  this  commendation  that  I 
am  coming  to  you  with  their  desire  that  you 
should  give  this  matter  thoughtful  consider- 
ation. Tracts  and  pamphlets  have  been  found 
ineffectual  and  therefore  this  great  personal 
and  social  purity  crusade  is  being  prosecuted 
in  this  city,  not  with  pamphlets,  but  with 
books  (opening  the  case).  You  have,  of  course, 
Mrs.  Smith,  heard  of  this  set  of  books.  They 
have  been  commended  by  the  eminent  and 
good  in  every  community.  Many  thousands  of 
dollars  are  spent  each  year  in  making  them 
known  through  the  magazines  and  periodicals 
to  the  intelligent  of  every  community  and  of 
every  land.  Indeed,  there  is  not  a  country  on 
the  globe  to-day  where  these  books  are  not 
known  and  read.  They  have  already  been 
translated  into  twenty  different  languages, 
and  between  one  and  two  million  copies  of 
the  English  edition  alone  have  already  been 

sold. 

They  make  a  fine  appearance,  do  they  not, 
Mrs.  Smith?  You  will  notice  how  comprehen- 
sive this  series  of  books  is.  The  first  one 
is  "What  A  Young  Boy  Ought  to  Know/' 


260  A  GENERAL  CANVA88. 

then  "What  A  Young  Man  Ought  To  Know;" 
the  next  is  "What  A  Young  Husband  Ought 
To  Know"  and  "What  A  Man  of  Forty-five 
Ought  To  Know."  These  are  all  written  by 
Dr.  Sylvanus  Stall,  and  the  corresponding  se- 
ries to  women  were  written  by  Mrs.  Dr.  Mary 
Wood-Allen,  a  woman  of  international  repu- 
tation. A  woman  who  is  not  only  a  prominent 
physician,  but  an  intimate  friend  of  Frances 
E.  Willard  while  she  lived,  and  Lady  Henry 
Somerset  and  women  of  similar  prominence. 
Mrs.  Wood- Allen  wrote  "What  A  Young  Girl 
Ought  To  Know"  and  "What  A  Young  Wo- 
man Ought  To  Know."  Then  the  two  later 
books  in  the  series  are  written  by  Mrs.  Dr. 
Emma  F.  A.  Drake,  a  physician  of  prominence 
and  experience  who  was  associated  with  Mr. 
Moody  in  his  work  at  Northfield,  and  who  is 
also  influential  in  the  Woman 's  Christian  Tem- 
perance Union.  She  wrote  "What  A  Young 
Wife  Ought  To  Know"  and  "What  A  Woman 
of  Forty-five  Ought  To  Know." 

If  it  is  a  man  you  are  canvassing  for  the 
whole  set  begin  by  showing  him  the  books  in 
the  series  to  men.  If  it  is  a  woman  then  it 
may  be  best  to  begin  by  showing  her  the  books 
in  the  series  to  women,  begin  with  "Young 
Girl." 

615.  Mr.  Smith  (or  Mrs.  Smith)  first  of  all 
I  want  to  show  you  this  book,  * '  What  A  Young 
Boy  Ought  To  Know."  This  is  the  first  book 
in  the  set  to  boys  and  men,  addressed  to  those 
in  the  four  great  periods  of  life. 

These  books  are  written  in  the  form  of  an 


A  GENERAL  CANVASS.  261 

educational  series.  The  first  contains  the  foun- 
dational  principles  which  all  intelligent  per- 
sons should  understand.  It  sets  forth  the 
great  principles  displayed  by  the  Creator  in 
perpetuating  plants,  animals  and  man.  It  is 
no  less  interesting  to  a  grown  person  than  to  a 
boy.  This  book  can  be  placed  in  the  hands  of 
a  boy,  and  for  that  purpose  is  made  complete 
in  itself.  But  when  a  young  man  or  a  young 
woman  reads  the  second  book  in  the  series  it  is 
to  be  supposed  that  they  already  understand 
the  teachings  of  the  earlier  book,  and  the  same 
is  true  of  the  book  to  young  husbands  and 
young  wives  and  to  persons  of  forty-five.  In- 
deed, each  person  of  mature  years  ought  to 
read  the  entire  series  including  this  book  of 
forty-five,  long  years  before  they  reach  that 
age. 

Here  is  a  portrait  of  Dr.  Stall,  the  author  of 
the  four  books  in  this  series  to  men.  The  need 
of  just  such  a  book  as  this  was  impressed  upon 
his  mind  and  heart  when  but  fourteen  years 
of  age.  Eighteen  years  later  he  covenanted  to 
write  a  book  to  young  men,  and  eighteen  years 
again  passed  by  before  he  began  this  work. 
His  entire  life  was  largely  a  matter  of  prepar- 
ation for  this  great  life  work. 

Turn  rapidly  to  the  portraits  of  Dr.  Cuyler 
and  others  reading  short  extracts  from  their 
commendations  the  same  as  shown  in  para- 
graph 600.  Here  is  Dr.  Cuyler,  the  eminent 
devotional  writer  of  Brooklyn.  He  says: 
"This  book  ought  to  be  in  every  home  where 
there  is  a  boy." 


262  A  GENERAL  CANVASS. 

Dr.  Thompson,  formerly  moderator  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
says:  "It  is  indeed  what  boys  ought  to  know 
— the  failure  to  know  which  has  been  the  cause 
of  many  sorrows  and  pains  and  penal 
Note  also  what  he  says  here:  "Why  was  not 
this  book  written  centuries  ago!" 

Mr.  Edward  Bok,  editor  of  "The  La 
Home  Journal,"  says:  "Other  books  have  told 
other   things,    but    you    have    compassed    the 
whole  subject." 

Dr.  Josiah  Strong,  the  great  preacher,  says : 
' '  A  foolish  and  culpable  silence  on  t 
of  most  parents  leaves  their  children  to  learn 
too  often  from  vicious  companions  sacred 
truths  in  an  unhallowed  way."  That  is  only 
too  true,  isn't  it,  Mrs.  Smith f 

Thousands  of  boys  and  girls  are  annually 
ruined  because  their  parents  do  not  know  how 
to  tell  them  sacred  truths  in  a  proper  way. 
This  book  was  written  to  enable  parents  to 
know  how  to  perform  this  very  delicti 
Where  the  child  is  old  enough  to  read  for  him- 
self, if  the  parent  thinks  best,  he  may  place 
the  book  in  the  hands  of  the  boy,  or  he  may 
read  it  to  him,  or  tell  it  to  him  in  his  own  way, 
as  the  parent  sees  fit.  These  books  designed 
for  persons  in  different  periods  of  life  are  in 
separate  volumes.  If  all  that  is  written  in 
these  four  books  to  men  were  printed  in  a 
single  volume  you  could  not  place  this  in  the 
hands  of  your  boy  and  tell  him  to  read  just  so 
far  and  no  further.  He  would  be  likely  to 
read  the  prohibited  parts  first.  The  same  is 


A  GENERAL  CANVASS.  263 

true  also  with  the  book  to  young  men,  and 
with  each  of  the  books  in  this  series.  But  at 
the  same  time  a  young  man  would  have  a  bet- 
ter understanding  of  the  entire  subject  if  he 
were  first  to  read  the  book  to  young  boys,  and 
then  to  young  men;  and  a  young  husband 
would  have  a  fuller  understanding  of  the  en- 
tire subject  if  he  were  also  to  begin  with  the 
book,  "What  A  Young  Boy  Ought  To  Know/' 
then  read  "What  A  Young  Man  Ought  To 
Know,"  and  then  "What  A  Young  Husband 
Ought  To  Know,"  and  every  man  ought  also 
as  soon  as  he  comes  to  mature  years  to  under- 
stand those  changes  in  the  physical  life  of  man 
which  take  place  in  middle  life  the  same  as  the 
changes  in  the  physical  life  of  woman.  This 
is  all  told  in  this  book  to  men  of  forty-five. 

616.  This  second  book  in  the  series,  "What 
A  Young  Man  Ought  To  Know,"  presents  the 
importance  of  a  strong  physical  equipment 
for  life  and  treats  of  the  influences  which  un- 
dermine and  ruin  so  many  young  men. 

This  book,  also,  Mr.  Smith,  is  commended  by 
very  eminent  persons  like  the  late  Commodore 
John  W.  Philip,  Rev.  Dr.  F.  B.  Meyer,  the  emi- 
nent London  author  and  preacher,  Rev.  Dr. 
Francis  E.  Clark,  the  founder  of  the  Christian 
Endeavor  Society;  Bishop  McVickar,  of  Rhode 
Island,  and  all  these  others.  If  necessary  read 
brief  extracts  from  some  of  these  commenda- 
tions. See  also  paragraph  608. 

Turning  to  table  of  contents,  Chapter  first 
is  on  "Equipment  for  Life."  Mr.  Smith, 
how  important  it  is  that  a  young  man  should 


264  A  GENERAL  CANVA88. 

be  well  equipped  for  his  struggles.  If  he  is 
weak  physically,  he  is  likely  to  go  down  in 
life's  fierce  struggle. 

This  second  chapter  tells  what  an  awfully 
hard  struggle  some  young  men  have  to  be  pure 
minded.  Chapter  third  tells  of  "Physical 
Weakness "  and  treats  it  under  the  heads  of 
"inherited  weakness "  and  "acquired  weak- 
ness "  and  explains  many  of  the  things  which 
are  a  constant  perplexity  to  every  young  man 
until  he  comes  to  know  himself. 

Here  are  three  chapters  on  "Evils  to  be 
shunned  and  consequences  to  be  dreaded. "  (If 
you  are  canvassing  a  man  something  further 
may  be  said  upon  these  chapters  and  also 
upon  chapter  seven).  Chapter  eight  is  on  the 
"Right  relation  to  women."  Then  follows 
chapters  upon  the  subject  of  "Marriage," 
"Who  should  not  marry,"  "The  selection  of  a 
wife,"  "Importance  of  great  caution," 
"Early  and  late  marriages,"  "Hindrances  to 
be  avoided"  and  "Helps  to  be  used."  That 
is  a  very  comprehensive  outline,  is  it  not,  Mr. 
Smith  f  No  young  man  can  possibly  afford  to 
be  without  a  copy  of  this  book,  and  no  man 
who  realizes  the  difficulties  and  dangers  of 
young  men  can  do  a  grander  work  than  pur- 
chase a  few  copies  of  these  books  and  keep 
them  in  circulation  among  young  men  of  his 
acquaintance  or  of  his  Sunday-school  class,  the 
men  in  his  shop,  or  store,  or  office.  The  same 
is  true  with  each  book  in  the  series.  Mr. 
Smith,  the  man  who  has  this  set  of  books  in  his 
library  has  the  means  of  becoming  a  public 


A  GENERAL  CANVASS.  265 

benefactor  to  every  person  in  the  community. 
I  meet  hundreds  of  people  who  would  like  to 
read  these  books,  but  who  do  not  have  the 
money  to  purchase.  No  library  is  complete 
without  them,  and  no  man  who  can  afford  to 
purchase  a  set  could  have  a  grander  means  of 
blessing  to  his  fellow  men  than  by  loaning 
these  books  to  his  neighbors  and  acquaintances. 

617.  This  third  volume  is  "What  A  Young 
Husband  Ought  To  Know."  It  is  written  not 
only  for  young  husbands,  but  for  older  hus- 
bands also.  First,  it  tells  the  young  husband 
what  he  ought  to  know  concerning  himself  in 
his  new  relation  in  life.  Then  it  tells  him 
what  he  ought  to  know  concerning  his  wife, 
first  as  his  companion,  as  his  bride  and  as  his 
wife.  Third,  what  he  ought  to  know  concern- 
ing his  children. 

Call  attention  to  the  portraits  and  commen- 
dations, run  hastily  over  the  titles  of  the  dif- 
ferent chapters  in  the  tables  of  contents.  Fa- 
miliarity with  the  fuller  canvass  suggested  for 
the  Young  Husband  book  may  be  helpful  but 
be  careful  not  to  make  the  canvass  too  long. 

Some  clergymen  give  a  copy  of  this  book  and 
of  "What  A  Young  Wife  Ought  To  Know" 
with  each  marriage  certificate.  A  good  plan, 
is  it  not,  Mr.  Smith"? 

Dr.  Kelly,  the  eminent  surgeon  of  Balti- 
more, has  well  summed  up  the  whole  matter  in 
his  commendation.  He  says:  "If  the  knowl- 
edge contained  in  this  book  was  more  gen- 
erally diffused  many  sad  duties  left  to  the  phy- 
sician would  become  unnecessary. " 


266  A  GENERAL  CANVA88. 

618.  Mr.   Smith,    this   fourth   book    in   the 
series  to  men  is  also  one  of  vital  importance, 
11  What     A    Man    of    Forty-five    Ought     To 
Know."     Some  have  pronounced  it  equal  to, 
if  not  the  best  book  in  the  series.     Very  few 
men  understand  the  changes  in   the  physical 
life   of  man.     They   know   something  of   the 
changes   in   the  physical   life  of  woman,   but 
they  do  not  know  that  as  there  is  a  proces- 
sional   in    the    physical   development    of    the 
boy,     so     there     is     a     recessional     in     the 
physical    life    of    the    man    at    middle    age. 
This  is  the  only  book  upon  this  subject  ever 
published,  and  it  won  for  its  author  the  most 
hearty   and    universal    commendation    of    the 
entire  medical  press  of  the  United  States  and 
Qreat  Britain.     No  man  can  understand  him- 
self and  other  men  without  knowing  the  < 
tents  of  this  book,  and  even  young  men  ought 
to  read  it  in  order  to  understand  how  to  look 
forward  and  how  to  prepare  for  the  later  years 
of  life. 

619.  Now,  Mr.  Smith,  here  is  the  corres- 
ponding series  to  girls  and  women.     "What 
A  Young  Girl  Ought  To  Know,"  "What  A 
Young  Woman  Ought  To  Know,"  "What  A 
Young  Wife  Ought  To  Know"  and  "What  A 
Woman  of  Forty-five  Ought  To  Know."  These 
books  are  written  for  the  different  periods  in 
the  life  of  woman   the  same  as  the  books  I 
have  just  shown  you  are  adapted  to  the  dif- 
ferent periods  in  the  lives  of  men.    These  first 
two  were  written  by  Dr.  Mary  Wood-Allen,  a 
very  eminent  writer,  and  the  second  two  by 


A  GENERAL  CANVASS.  267 

Dr.  Emma  F.  A.  Drake,  also  an  eminent  wo- 
man physician,  and  these  books  are  just  as 
important  to  the  female  members  of  the  fam- 
ily as  these  others  are  to  the  male  members  of 
the  family.  Indeed,  there  is  nothing  in  this 
series  of  books  to  women  which  any  person  of 
mature  years  ought  not  to  know.  Truly, 
every  man  ought  also  not  onl~  to  read  the  en- 
tire series  to  men,  but  the  entire  series 
to  women.  But  they  are  divided  into  differ- 
ent volumes  so  that  that  which  is  suited  to 
the  needs  of  a  young  girl  can  be  given  to  her; 
or  that  which  is  suited  to  the  needs  of  a  young 
boy,  or  a  young  man,  or  a  young  woman — ac- 
cording to  circumstances. 

But  persons  of  mature  years  ought  to  know 
all  that  this  entire  series  of  books  contains. 
They  are  the  only  books  of  their  kind  in  the 
world,  and  they  have  been  commended  by  emi- 
nent men  and  women  and  also  by  the  pulpit 
and  the  press  of  both  continents.  I  am  sure, 
Mr.  Smith,  you  appreciate  the  value  of  just 
such  a  series  of  books  as  these.  When  you 
were  a  young  man  you  often  felt  the  need  of 
just  such  knowledge  in  a  plain,  intelligent 
way,  did  you  not,  Mr.  Smith?  No  home  is 
complete  without  these  books  and  no  father  or 
mother  can  afford  to  have  their  children  grow 
up  ignorant  of  their  contents.  They  are  not 
books  that  need  to  be  concealed,  but  may  be 
placed  on  your  library  shelves,  or  on  your  li- 
brary table  if  you  see  fit  to  do  so.  Many  par- 
ents purchase  them  and  leave  them  where  their 
children  will  be  sure  to  come  in  contact  with 


268  A  GENERAL  CANVA88. 

them.  They  prefer  that  their  children  should 
have  an  honest  answer  to  all  proper  questions, 
rather  than  to  seek  to  gratify  their  curiosity 
by  inquiring  of  ignorant  and  impure  persons. 

620.  They  are  uniformly  bound  in  this  fine 
satin  finished  cloth,  stamped  in  gold  and  the 
price  is  printed  on  the  title  page  so  there 
can  be  no  mistake  with  regard  to  it.  These 
books  cannot  be  bought  anywhere  on  earth 
for  less  than  $1.00  per  copy.  I  am  taking 
the  orders  and  can  deliver  the  books  to  you  in 
a  day  or  two,  or  when  I  make  my  general  de- 
livery, in  the  course  of  a  couple  of  weeks. 
Thank  you,  Mr.  Smith,  I  knew  you  would  ap- 
preciate such  a  set  of  books  as  these.  Write 
your  name  on  this  line.  Now  that  you  have 
decided  to  take  these  books,  Mr.  Smith,  I 
want  to  say  to  you  that  you  never  invested 
$8.00  in  your  life  which  will  bring  you  a  larger 
return  in  satisfaction  and  information  than 
you  will  find  in  this  series  of  books.  I  shall 
be  glad  to  have  you  use  your  influence  with 
your  friends  and  acquaintances  so  that  they 
may  purchase  copies  of  the  books  also. 

(>'J1.  If,  instead  of  canvassing  Mr.  Smith, 
you  should  be  canvassing  Mrs.  Smith,  then  be- 
gin with  the  young  girl  book.  Canvass  her 
thoroughly  for  the  books  in  the  series  to  wo- 
men and  then  run  hastily  over  the  books  in  the 
series  to  boys  and  men,  much  abbreviating  the 
foregoing  canvass  and  adapting  to  the  intelli- 
gence, temperament  and  conditions  of  Mrs. 
Smith. 

In  order  not  to  burden  the  mind  of  the  can- 


A  GENERAL  CANVASS.  269 

vasser,  he  is  referred  to  the  special  canvasses 
on  "Young  Girl,"  "Young  Woman/ '  "Young 
Wife"  and  "Woman  of  Forty-five,"  from 
which  he  can  readily  make  up  his  canvass  for 
Mrs.  Smith  on  the  entire  series. 

622.  If  Mr.  Smith  should  hesitate  call  his 
attention  to  the  pages  showing  the  different 
languages  into  which  the  books  have  been 
translated.  Call  his  attention  to  the  splendid 
manner  in  which  the  books  are  selling.  Show 
him  the  names  of  many  of  the  intelligent  peo- 
ple who  have  subscribed.  "Here  is  Mr.  Jones, 
he  takes  the  entire  series.  Here  is  Mr.  Brown, 
he  takes  the  entire  series  to  men.  Mrs.  Rob- 
erts takes  copies  of  "What  A  Young  Boy 
Ought  To  Know"  and  "What  A  Young  Girl 
Ought  To  Know"  for  her  children.  Mrs.  Henry 
takes  a  copy  of  "What  A  Young  Man  Ought 
To  Know"  for  her  son  who  is  away  at  school, 
and  also  a  copy  of  "What  A  Young  Woman 
Ought  To  Know"  for  her  daughter,  who  is 
away  at  a  young  lady's  boarding  school.  That 
is  a  splendid  thing  to  do,  is  it  not,  Mr.  Smith? 
Young  people  at  home  are  exposed  to  many 
temptations  and  dangers,  and  those  away  from 
home  are  oftentimes  exposed  even  more.  You 
see,  Mr.  Smith,  how  highly  these  people  in  this 
list  that  I  am  showing  you,  prize  our  books. 
The  fact  is,  they  are  worth  their  weight  in 
gold.  No  family  that  can  afford  to  buy  bread 
can  afford  to  be  without  copies  of  these  books. 

If  he  falters  still  further,  everything  will 
depend  upon  your  promptness  and  good  judg- 
ment. Your  reserve  power  may  be  displayed 


270  A  GENERAL  CANVAS8. 

in  turning  to  the  press  notices  printed  on  the 
closing  pages.    Urge  upon  him  the  importance 
of  the  fact  that  if  he  permits  you  to  pass  by 
without   his  subscription,   the  opportunity  to 
purchase  may  never  be  presented  to  him  ag; 
It    he  is  an  intelligent  man  he  is  an\ 
know  about  "this,  that,  and  the  other  tl. 
but  why  should  he  be  content  to  know  little  or 
nothing  concerning  himself.     He  has  to  keep 
company  with  himself,  and  has  to  be  his  own 
constant   companion   every   hour  of   his   life. 
There  is  no  person,  or  thing  beside  on  earth 
that  he  needs  so  much  to  understand  as  to  un- 
derstand himself,  and  the  great  human  family 
of  which  he  is  a  part. 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  GIRL.  271 


A  CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  GIRL. 

623.  Using  the  forms  of  approach  and  ad- 
dress given  in  the  preceding  canvasses,  after 
being  seated  in  the  home,  the  canvasser  may 
proceed  somewhat  as  follows: 

Mrs.  Smith,  I  learned  that  you  have  a 
daughter  by  the  name  of  Mary.  How  old  is 
she,  Mrs.  Smith?  I  am  prosecuting  a  cam- 
paign in  this  community — a  campaign  in  the 
interests  and  for  the  safeguarding  of  the  boys 
and  the  girls.  It  is  fostered  and  furthered  by 
the  pastors  of  all  the  churches.  Let  me  show 
you  their  commendations.  (After  reading 
commendation) :  That  is  fine,  isn't  it,  Mrs. 
Smith? 

We  are  seeking  to  safeguard  the  boys  and 
the  girls,  the  young  men  and  the  young  wo- 
men and  to  give  a  moral  uplift  to  the  entire 
community.  These  pastors  are  anxious  that 
every  parent  should  give  this  matter  very 
thoughtful  consideration.  It  is  of  vital  im- 
portance not  only  to  parents,  but  to  their 
children.  The  safety  of  their  children  and 
the  blessing  of  their  home  depends  largely 
upon  the  way  their  children  are  safeguarded  in 
the  matter  of  personal  and  social  purity. 

(Opening  your  case.)  You  have  doubtless 
heard  of  the  Purity  Books  in  the  Self  and  Sex 
Series,  Mrs.  Smith.  Thousands  of  dollars  have 
been  spent  annually  in  advertising  them  in  the 
leading  magazines  and  periodicals  of  the  coun- 


272  CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  OIRL. 

try.  Hundreds  of  pastors  have  commended 
them  from  their  pulpits  to  their  people,  mis- 
sionaries have  translated  them  for  their  use 
among  the  heathen,  and  in  every  country  on 
the  globe  these  books  are  known  and  their 
value  is  recognized.  Between  one  and  two 
millions  of  copies  have  been  sold  in  the  Eng- 
lish language  alone,  and  they  have  been  trans- 
lated into  some  fourteen  other  languages. 

Let  me  show  you  the  book  for  young  girls, 
entitled  "What  A  Young  Girl  Ought  To 
Know."  It  is  a  suggestive  title,  is  it  not,  Mrs. 
Smith?  There  are  many  things  that  a  young 
girl  ought  to  know,  and  there  are  very  many 
things  which  she  ought  not  to  know,  but  which 
she  is  sure  to  come  to  know  if  this  sacred  in- 
formation is  not  imparted  to  her  in  the  proper 
form.  Mothers  are  kept  from  telling  their 
daughters  simply  because  they  do  not  know 
how  to  present  this  subject  in  the  best  way. 
This  book  to  young  girls  was  written  by  an  in- 
telligent Christian  mother  to  point  out  to  anx- 
ious mothers  how  to  instruct  their  daughters 
upon  these  matters  of  such  vital  importance. 

Here  is  a  portrait  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Wood-Allen. 
She  has  a  noble  face,  hasn't  she,  Mrs.  Smith? 
She  was  not  only  superintendent  of  the  Purity 
Department  of  the  Woman's  Christian  Tem- 
perance Union,  but  an  intimate  and  personal 
friend  of  Frances  E.  Willard  and  Lady  Henry 
Somerset. 

Here  is  what  Miss  Frances  E.  Willard,  that 
noble  Christian  worker,  says  concerning  this 
book:  "I  do  most  earnestly  hope  that  these 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  GIRL.  273 

books  founded  on  a  strictly  scientific  basis  will 
be  read  by  the  dear  girls  in  their  teens." 

Dr.  Yeoman,  the  prominent  Canadian  Chris- 
tian Temperance  worker,  says:  " These  books 
constitute  a  contribution  to  preventive  social 
purity  literature  for  which  the  public  may 
well  be  grateful."  That  is  a  strong  commen- 
dation, is  it  not,  Mrs.  Smith,  from  a  physician  1 

Mrs.  Stevenson,  the  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary of  the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union,  puts  it  this  way:  "As  helpful  as  a 
breeze  from  the  mountain  top. ' ' 

Mrs.  Alden,  the  author  of  the  Pansy  books, 
says:  "It  is  just  the  book  needed  to  teach 
what  most  people  do  not  know  how  to  teach, 
being  scientific  yet  simple  and  plain-spoken, 
yet  delicate."  Isn't  that  fine,  Mrs.  Smith, 
from  so  eminent  an  author? 

You  see  the  portraits  of  these  other  eminent 
persons  all  commending  this  book  in  a  similar 
way. 

Let  me  show  you  the  table  of  contents,  Mrs. 
Smith.  Mrs.  Wood- Allen  takes  up  these  chap- 
ters in  the  form  of  "twilight  talks."  Each 
evening  at  twilight  she  gives  the  young  girl 
an  additional  talk.  In  the  most  intelligent 
and  yet  in  the  most  delicate  way  the  author 
unfolds  the  perpetuity  of  the  life  of  the  plants, 
the  flowers,  the  fishes,  the  birds  and  leads  up 
to  the  origin  of  human  life  in  the  tenderest 
and  most  delicate  way.  You  should  read  this 
book  yourself,  Mrs.  Smith,  and  you  will  be 
persuaded  that  no  other  book  could  so  deli- 
cately and  sacredly  present  these  important 

18 


274  CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  GIRL. 

truths  to  the  mind  of  a  young  girl.  The  au- 
thor is  herself  a  Christian  mother  and  knows 
how  to  safeguard  the  delicacy  and  purity  of  a 
young  girl's  mind  by  making  her  intelligent. 
You  know,  Mrs.  Smith,  there  is  a  difference 
between  innocence  and  ignorance. 

Mrs.  Smith,  do  you  think  there  was  any  im- 
purity in  the  Creator's  mind  when  He  created 
us  as  He  did  and  gathered  about  the  home  the 
tender  relations  of  husband  and  wife,  parent 
and  child,  brother  and  sistert  Certainly,  you 
do  not.  Now,  that  is  just  the  light  in  which 
this  whole  subject  is  presented  in  this  series 
of  books.  It  is  just  this  kind  of  informa- 
tion that  every  young  girl  needs  to  have  in  or- 
der to  safeguard  her  from  the  impurity  of 
thought  which  she  is  sure  to  meet  upon  every 
hand. 

It  makes  me  tremble,  Mrs.  Smith,  when  I 
think  of  what  the  boys  and  the  girls  have  to 
encounter  of  evil  in  the  schools  and  upon  the 
streets,  and  the  great  dangers  to  which  they 
are  exposed  by  evil  upon  every  hand.  The 
only  way  to  displace  this  evil  which  they  are 
sure  to  hear  from  older  companions  is  for  the 
parent  to  understand  how  to  present  these 
subjects  in  a  sacred  way,  and  thus  to  hold  your 
child  in  confidence  and  in  affection  close  to 
yourself.  It  is  the  universal  testimony  of  pa- 
rents that  nothing  else  draws  the  child  so  close 
to  them  as  confidence  between  mother  and 
daughter  upon  these  sacred  subjects. 

The  same  is  true,  Mrs.  Smith,  with  regard 
to  little  boys  and  older  boys  in  the  family. 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  GIRL.  275 

The  mother  who  takes  her  boy  into  her  con- 
fidence, for  the  first  time  finds  out  the  true 
nobility  and  grandeur  that  there  is  in  his  char- 
acter and  thought.  These  books  to  boys  and 
girls  teach  parents  how  to  accomplish  this  high 
and  holy  result,  and  there  are  many  parents 
who  would  not  take  hundreds  of  dollars  for 
what  has  been  accomplished  in  their  families 
by  the  outlay  of  a  single  dollar  for  one  of 
these  books. 

Mrs.  Smith,  some  of  the  mothers  and  fath- 
ers to  whom  I  show  these  books  are  so  much 
interested  that  they  quite  insist  upon  having 
their  books  at  once.  If  you  wish  yours  I  can 
bring  them  to  you  in  the  course  of  a  day  or 
so,  or  if  it  would  be  more  convenient  for  you 
I  can  deliver  them  in  a  couple  of  weeks  when 
I  will  be  delivering  in  this  neighborhood. 
Thank  you,  Mrs.  Smith,  write  your  name  just 
here  on  this  line.  I  will  bring  your  books  this 
afternoon  when  I  am  in  this  neighborhood,  or 
to-morrow  morning. 

624.  How  old  did  you  say  your  daughter  is, 
Mrs.  Smith?  Fourteen?  Why,  Mrs.  Smith, 
you  ought  to  have  the  next  book  in  the  series 
also.  Your  daughter  will  rapidly  move  for- 
ward toward  womanhood,  and  this  book, 
"What  A  Young  Woman  Ought  To  Know"  is 
quite  indispensable  for  you  as  her  mother.  By 
reading  it  you  will  be  brought  into  that  closer 
sympathy  with  the  developing  womanhood  of 
your  daughter,  and  be  the  better  fitted  to  guide 
her  in  her  thoughts  and  sympathies.  One 
trouble,  Mrs.  Smith,  is  that  we  do  not  under- 


276  CANVA88  FOR  YOUNG  GIRL. 

stand  and  appreciate  the  thoughts  and  feel- 
ings of  our  boys  and  girls  when  they  are  de- 
veloping into  manhood  and  womanhood. 

This  book,  "What  A  Young  Woman  Ought 
To  Know"  is  written  by  an  intelligent,  lov- 
ing and  sympathetic  mother  and  physician. 
I  want  to  show  you,  Mrs.  Smith,  what  Lady 
Henry  Somerset,  the  President  of  the  Worl.l's 
Woman's  Christian  Temperance  Union,  says 
of  it:  "It  is  an  extremely  valuable  book." 

Here  are  the  portraits  and  commendations 
of  many  eminent 'people.  I  can  not  refer  to 
them  all.  Mrs.  Dickinson,  the  editor  of  the 
King's  Daughters'  Journal,  says;  "Any  young 
woman  knowing  all  that  this  volume 
has  an  essential  foundation  for  whatever  other 
knowledge  she  may  acquire." 

Mrs.  Carse,  the  founder  of  the  Woman's 
Temple  at  Chicago,  says:  "It  can  but  create 
a  more  reverent  ideal  of  life  in  every  girl  who 
reads  it." 

Mrs.  Stephens,  the  successor  to  Frances  E. 
Willard  as  President  of  the  Woman's  Christi- 
an Temperance  Union,  wrote  this  strong  en- 
dorsement: "There  is  great  need  of  carefully, 
delicately  written  books  upon  the  subjects 
treated  in  this  series.  I  am  gratefully  glad 
that  the  author  has  succeeded  so  well,  and  I 
trust  great  and  enduring  good  will  be  the  re- 
sult." 

Here  are  many  other  persons  of  great  prom- 
inence whose  portraits  and  commendations  are 
given.  I  want  to  turn,  Mrs.  Smith,  to  the  au- 
thor's preface.  Listen  to  this,  Mrs.  Smith 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  GIRL.  277 

(page  16):  "The  subjects  treated  in  this  lit- 
tle book  are  discussed  because  every  one  of 
them  has  been  the  subject  of  a  query  pro- 
pounded by  some  girl,  otherwise  intelligent 
and  well  informed/' 

Turning  to  the  table  of  contents.  "Mrs. 
Smith,  the  first  chapter  is  on  what  a  woman 
is  worth  to  herself,  what  she  is  worth  in  the 
family  and  what  she  is  worth  to  the  community 
at  large.  This  second  chapter  is  on  the  ' '  Care 
of  the  body. ' '  The  third  is  upon  « '  Food, ' '  and 
then  you  will  notice  the  subjects  of  the  other 
chapters:  "  Sleep, "  "  Breathing, "  "Hin- 
drances to  Breathing,"  "Added  Injuries  from 
Tight  Clothing."  Here  is  a  valuable  chapter 
on  the  importance  of  proper  exercise  and  bath- 
ing. 

In  Part  Second  we  have  the  more  intimate 
questions  relative  to  creative  power  and  in 
chapter  eleven,  "Building  Brains;"  twelve, 
"You  Are  More  Than  Body  and  Mind"  and  so 
you  will  notice  onward,  special  physiology, 
"Becoming  a  Woman,"  and  then  the  author 
treats  of  the  subjects  upon  which  every  young 
woman  ought  to  be  thoroughly  intelligent. 

In  Part  Third  she  deals  with  the  question  of 
the  choice  of  a  companion  for  life,  and  gives 
some  of  the  wisest  counsel  that  an  intelligent, 
sympathetic,  and  careful  mother  could  give. 
These  are  questions,  Mrs.  Smith,  with  which 
mothers  so  frequently  fail.  They  recognize  t 
importance  of  dealing  with  them,  but  they  do 
not  know  just  how  to  handle  these  subjects. 
This  book  was  written  to  enable  mothers  t 


278  CANVASS  FOR  TODNO  GIRL. 

meet  these  important  questions  in  the  very  best 
way.  Thank  you,  Mrs.  Smith,  I  knew  you 
would  want  this  volume  also. 

625.  Before  I  leave,  Mrs.  Smith,  I  want  to 
show  you  this  third  volume  also  in  this  series, 
41  What  A  Young  Wife  Ought  To  Know."  This 
book  is  written  not  simply  for  those  who  are 
contemplating  marriage,  or  who  have  just  en- 
tered upon  it,  but  also  for  those  who  have 
been  many  years  in  a  home  of  their  own.  It 
throws  a  new  light  upon  many  subjects  which 
have  not  been  previously  understood  and 
which  may  have  been  the  source  of  perplex 
embarrassment  and  possibly  even  of  discord. 
This  book  is  written  by  Mrs.  Dr.  Emma  F.  A. 
Drake,  who  wcs  associated  at  one  time  with 
Mr.  Moody  in  bis  work  at  Northfield.  She 
woman  of  large  experience  as  a  physician,  is 
herself  the  mother  of  three  grown  children, 
and  is  intensely  interested  in  all  questions 
which  relate  to  home  life. 

Here  is  the  portrait  of  Mrs.  Drake.  A  fine, 
motherly  face,  is  it  not,  Mrs.  Smith?  You 
would  expect  an  excellent  book  from  her  pen, 
and  such  this  indeed  is. 

The  canvasser  should  show  the  portraits  and 
commendations  of  eminent  persons,  lead  the 
eye  of  the  person  being  canvassed  over  the 
titles  of  some  of  the  chapters  and  impress 
upon  the  mind  of  the  customer  the  importance 
of  having  the  entire  series  to  woman  at  hand 
for  constant  reference. 

It  would  be  well  also  to  follow  with  some 
explanation  concerning  the  book  entitled 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  GIRL.  279 

"What  A  Woman  of  Forty-five  Ought  To 
Know,"  and  secure  a  subscription  not  only 
for  the  women 's  books,  but  also  for  the  men 's 
books  in  the  series. 

In  conducting  the  canvass  upon  "What  A 
Young  Wife  Ought  To  Know"  and  "What  A 
Woman  of  Forty-five  Otight  To  Know,"  pro- 
ceed after  the  manner  indicated  in  the  can- 
vasses for  these  separate  books,  only  much 
more  briefly.  After  your  customer  has  come 
to  a  knowledge  of  the  character  of  the  books 
and  the  nature  of  their  contents,  it  is  not  nec- 
essary to  enlarge  upon  each  particular  book. 

The  character  of  the  series  of  books  to  boys 
and  men  can  be  gone  over  very  rapidly  after 
a  customer  has  decided  to  purchase  the  books 
in  the  series  to  women,  and  thus  secure  an  or- 
der for  the  complete  set. 


280        CANVA88  FOR  YOU\(!  WOMAN. 


CANVASS  FOR  "YOUNG  WOMAN." 

626.  When  approaching  the  house  and 
i -i Hiring-  the  bell,  if  the  mother  should  come  to 
the  door  canvass  her.  There  are  times  when  a 
young  woman  comes  to  the  door,  and  there  are 
times  also  when  the  mother  cannot  be  seen, 
and  there  are  times  when  the  canvasser  may 
come  direct  to  the  young  woman  hersell 
a  letter  of  introduction,  or  when  referred  to 
her  by  some  personal  friend  of  hers.  At  such 
e  the  following  would  be  suggestive  and 
serviceable : 

After  securing  an  entrance  to  the  home, 
very  much  after  the  manner  indicated  in  the 
preceding  canvasses  and  after  having  disposed 
of  your  hat  and  secured  a  seat  in  the  parlor, 
library  or  kitchen,  you  might  say : 

"Miss  Smith,  I  have  been  referred  to  you 
as  one  who  would  be  interested  in  the  move- 
ment which  I  represent.  I  am  enlisting  all  the 
intelligent  people  in  this  community  in  a  move- 
ment which  is  fostered  and  furthered  by  the 
pastors  of  all  the  churches  and  which  they 
have  commended  from  their  pulpits.  I  also 
have  here  a  letter  of  commendation  with  their 
autograph  signatures.  With  your  kind  per- 
mission I  would  like  to  show  it  to  you.  Taking 
the  commendation  and  holding  it  so  she  can 
follow  your  reading  and  see  the  signatures, 
speak  deliberately  and  impressively.  That  is  a 
.fine  commendation,  is  it  not,  Miss  Smith? 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  WOMAN.        281 

These  pastors  are  particularly  interested  in 
young  people,  as  well  as  in  the  parents  and 
people  who  are  settled  in  homes  of  their  own. 
In  this  series  of  books  you  will  see  the  scope 
by  the  titles,  "What  A  Young  Girl  Ought  To 
Know,"  "What  A  Young  Woman  Ought  To 
Know,"  "What  A  Young  Wife  Ought  To 
Know"  and  "What  A  Woman  of  Forty-five 
Ought  to  Know."  Then  there  is  a  corres- 
ponding series  to  boys  and  men,  "What  A 
Young  Boy  Ought  To  Know,"  "What  A 
Young  Man  Ought  To  Know,"  "What  A 
Young  Husband  Ought  To  Know,"  "What  A 
Man  of  Forty-five  Ought  To  Know." 

Miss  Smith,  when  God  created  us  He  gath- 
ered about  the  home  and  about  the  relations  of 
father  and  mother,  parent  and  child,  brother 
and  sister,  the  tenderest  relations  of  human 
life.  This  series  of  books  deals  with  these  sub- 
jects in  the  light  in  which  the  Creator  Him- 
self must  have  thought  of  them  when  He  cre- 
ated and  endowed  us  as  He  did. 

Let  me  show  you  this  second  book  in  the 
series,  "What  A  Young  Wbman  Ought  To 
Know,"  for  I  am  sure  it  is  a  book  in  which 
you  will  be  pre-eminently  interested  . 

"Miss  Smith,  here  is  a  picture  of  the  author. 
This  is  Dr.  Mary  Wood- Allen.  She  is  not  only 
a  trained  and  experienced  physician,  but  a 
public  lecturer  who  has  spoken  to  hundreds  of 
large  audiences,  and  been  an  intimate  counsel- 
lor of  young  women  for  many  years.  She  is 
herself  a  mother  with  grown  sons  and  daugh- 
ters. A  fine  face,  is  it  not,  Miss  Smith?  She 


282        CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  WOMAN. 

was  an  intimate  friend  of  Miss  Frances  E. 
Willard,  while  she  was  alive,  of  Lady  Henry 
Somerset  and  many  of  the  most  eminent  wo- 
men in  the  world  connected  with  the  Woman 's 
Christian  Temperance  Union.  Such  a  person 
should  be  well  equipped,  should  she  not,  Miss 
Smith,  for  writing  such  a  book  to  young  wo- 
men? 

Here  is  what  Lady  Henry  Somerset  says: 
"An  extremely  valuable  book,  and  I  wish  that 
it  may  be  widely  circulated. " 

Rev.  F.  B.  Meyer,  the  eminent  devotional 
writer  and  great  London  preacher,  says:  "I 
should  like  to  see  a  wise  and  judicious  distri- 
bution of  this  literature  among  Christian  cir- 
cles." This  book  is  commended  by  men  like 
these  whose  portraits  you  see.  The  Rev.  Dr. 
Charles  M.  Sheldon,  author  of  "In  His 
Steps;"  Mrs.  May  Wright  Sewall,  the  former 
President  of  the  International  Council  of  V 
men;  Mrs.  Mary  Lowe  Dickinson,  the  Gen- 
eral Secretary  of  the  King's  Daughters,  writ- 
er for  the  Ladies'  Home  Journal  and  widely 
known.  She  says:  "Any  young  woman  know- 
ing all  that  this  volume  teaches  has  an  es- 
sential foundation  for  whatever  other  knowl- 
edge she  may  acquire."  Mrs.  Carse,  the  foun- 
der of  the  Women's  Temple  at  Chicago,  says: 
"My  heart  goes  out  in  endorsement  of  this 
book."  Here  is  Elizabeth  Cady  Stanton,  Mr. 
Charles  N.  Crittendon,  the  founder  of  the  Na- 
tional Florence  Crittendon  Home;  Mrs.  Helen 
Campbell,  the  author,  says:  "I  cannot  speak 
too  warmly  of  your  invaluable  series."  Mrs. 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  WOMAN.        283 

Stephens,  the  President  of  the  "Woman 's  Chris- 
tian Temperance  Union,  says:  " There  is  great 
need  of  careful  delicately  written  books  upon 
the  subjects  treated  in  this  series. "  Here  are 
prints  of  some  of  the  languages  into  which 
these  books  have  been  translated. 

These  are  fine  commendations,  are  they  not, 
Miss  Smith?     The  book  is  divided  into  three 
parts.     The  first  treats  of  the  value  of  the 
body  and  its  hygiene,  the  second  of  special 
physiology  and  the  laws  of  maturity,  and  the 
third,  of  love,  engagement  and  marriage.  Just 
glance  at  the  subjects  of  these  opening  chap- 
ters: "What  You  Are  Worth,"  "Care  of  the 
Body,"     "Food,"     "Sleep,"     "Breathing," 
"Hindrances  to  Breathing,"  "Added  Injuries 
from    Tight    Clothing,"    "Exercise,"    "Bath- 
ing," etc.     Handing  the  book  to  the  young 
woman  so  she  can  glance  over  the  subjects  of 
second  and  third  say,  "Miss  Smith,  just  take 
this     book     and     glance     over     the     subjects 
of  the  following  chapters."  While  she  is  glanc- 
ing over  the  contents  remain  silent  or  say,  Few 
young   women   are   properly   guided   in    their 
thought  along  these  lines.    There  are  very  few 
authors  who  are  fitted  to  write  suitably  upon 
these  subjects.    Did  you  ever  see  a  more  com- 
plete book  to  young  women  than  you  find  in 
that  table  of  contents,  Miss  Smith?    Is  it  any 
wonder  that  these  books  have  won  their  way 
around  the  world?     Could  any  young  woman 
afford  to  be  without  this  valuable  information? 
I  will  be  delivering  books  in  this  neighbor- 
hood in  about  two  weeks,  or  if  you  desire, 


284        CANVA88  FOR  YOUTH  Q  U'o  If  AN. 

Miss  Smith,  I  can  bring  you  a  copy  earlier. 
Many  of  my  subscribers  desire  the  book  as 
soon  as  they  can  get  it,  and  we  are  always 
glad  to  furnish  it  as  soon  as  possible,  because 
when  they  have  read  it  they  become  enthusias- 
tic advocates  and  influence  their  friends  and 
others  to  purchase.  Thank  you,  Miss  Smith, 
just  sign  your  name  on  this  line.  Here  is  a 
written  guarantee  that  the  book  shall  be  in 
every  respect  like  the  sample  shown  or  you 
need  not  take  it. 

If  the  young  woman  is  of  mature  year> 
might  continue  the  canvass  by  calling  her  at- 
lion  to  "What  A  Young  Wife  Ought  To 
Know,"  u -ing  a  canvass  abbreviated  from  the 

mula  of  "What  A  Young  Wife  Ought  To 
Know.'1  You  may  also  be  able  to  sell  her 
a  copy  of  "Young  Girl/'  or  of  the  en: 
series.  Oftentimes  young  women  buy  copies 
of  "What  A  Young  Man  Ought  To  Enow11  to 
present  to  their  brothers,  but  care  must  be 
taken  not  to  sell  books  to  persons  of  imma- 
ture years  and  especially  books  in  the  series  to 
the  opposite  sex. 


CANVASS  FOR  YOUNG  WIFE.         285 


CANVASS  FOE  "YOUNG  WIPE." 

627.  The  mode  of  approach,  introduction, 
etc.,  for  this  canvass  is  the  same  as  for  former 
canvasses.  Use  also  suggestions  in  the  can- 
vass for  " Young  Woman/'  found  in  Para- 
graph 626.  Follow  these  five  paragraphs  with 
a  rapid  review  of  the  portraits  and  commenda- 
tions found  in  the  opening  of  this  book  in  the 
manner  suggested  by  the  preceding  canvasses 
and  then  continue  as  follows: 

Mrs.  Smith,  I  want  to  show  you  the  portrait 
of  Mrs.  Drake,  etc.  Then  turning  to  the  title 
page  say:  You  will  see  here,  Mrs.  Smith,  that 
a  thousand  dollar  prize  was  given  to  Mrs. 
Drake  for  writing  this  book.  Manuscripts 
were  submitted  from  the  United  States,  Can- 
ada and  England,  but  the  award  was  unani- 
mously made  to  Mrs.  Drake  for  the  manuscript 
contained  in  this  book.  You  will  note  here 
that  Mrs.  Drake  is  a  graduate  of  the  Boston 
Medical  College,  formerly  physician  and  Prin- 
cipal of  Mr.  Moody 's  School  at  Northfield, 
Massachusetts,  etc. 

This  book  is  dedicated,  as  you  will  see, 
Mrs.  Smith,  "to  the  young  wives  who  desire 
the  best  for  themselves,  for  their  husbands 
and  their  offspring." 

Whether  the  canvasser  should  call  the  atten- 
tion of  his  customer  to  the  contents  of  each 


particular  chapter  or  whether  he  should  pass 
the  book  over  into  the  hands  of  his  customer 


286         CANVA88  FOR  YOU^G  WIFE. 

and  ask  her  carefully  to  glance  over  the  titles 
of  each  of  the  chapters  is  a  question  for  the 
discretion  and  good  judgment  of  the  canvasser 
himself.  Where  the  canvasser  is  a  woman  it  is 
usually  best  to  retain  the  book  in  her  own 
hands  and  proceed  as  follows: 

Mrs.  Smith,  I  want  to  call  your  attention  to 
the  contents  of  this  volume.  Chapter  First  is 
on  the  intelligence  of  the  young  wife.  In  this 
chapter  you  will  find  that  the  author  writes  of 
woman's  exalted  place,  her  influence,  the  im- 
portance of  intelligence,  heredity  and  kindred 
subjects.  Chapter  Two  is  devoted  to  home  and 
-s  as  these  questions  stand  related  to 
health  and  well-being.  Chapter  Third  on  the 
health  of  the  Young  Wife.  That  is  a  very  im- 
portant subject,  is  it  not,  Mrs.  Smith f  Chap- 
Fourth  on  "The  Choice  of  a  Husband." 
This  chapter  is  full  of  suggestions  even  to 
1  hose  who  have  already  made  their  choice.  Here 
is  an  important  chapter  on  what  shall  a  w 
young  or  old,  expect  to  be  to  her  husband.  1 
wish  I  had  time,  Mrs.  Smith,  to  call  your  at- 
tention to  the  different  important  subj. 
treated  in  this  and  each  of  these  chapt 
Here  the  author  writes  of  "The  Trousseau  and 
the  Wedding  Presents/ '  and  then  takes  up  the 
question  of  the  sacred  relations  between  hus- 
band and  wife,  "Preparations  for  Mother- 
hood, "  "Preparations  for  Fatherhood. "  Mrs. 
Smith,  there  has  been  a  great  deal  said  about 
the  preparations  for  motherhood,  but  there 
has  not  been  a  great  deal  said  about  the  prep- 
arations for  fatherhood.  This  writer  kn< 


CANVA88  FOR  YOUNG  WIFE.         287 

how  to  look  upon  both  sides  of  the  subject. 
The  responsibility  is  not  all  with  the  mother. 
The  father  has  his  share  and  a  very  important 
part  it  is,  and  I  do  not  know  anybody  else 
who  has  set  forth  this  whole  subject  so  intelli- 
gently and  beautifully  as  Mrs.  Drake  has  done 
in  this  book.  In  Chapter  Ten  she  speaks  of  the 
destruction  of  the  life  of  the  unborn.  In  the 
next  Chapter  on  the  " Moral  Responsibility 
of  Parents  in  Heredity/'  This  is  a  most  im- 
portant chapter.  In  Chapter  Twelve  she  speaks 
of  the  ailments  which  frequently  attend  the 
months  of  gestation,  and  then  follows  a  chap- 
ter on  "The  Development  of  the  Unfolding 
Life/'  "The  Question  of  the  Wardrobe, " 
"The  Choice  of  a  Physician,"  "The  Birth 
Chamber/'  "Surroundings  and  Care  of  the 
Mother,"  "Care  of  the  Infant."  All  of  these 
are  chapters  of  utmost  importance.  Then  fol- 
lows a  series  of  chapters  upon  the  relations 
of  the  mother  to  her  child  as  teacher,  as  its 
intelligent  and  qualified  guardian  from  dis- 
ease, and  every  mother  knows  that  there  are 
many  diseases  to  which  children  are  subjected. 
They  will  come  through  measles,  whooping 
cough,  mumps  and  chicken  pox  all  right  if  the 
mother  is  intelligent.  But,  Mrs.  Smith,  how 
many  thousands  of  children  die  simply  be- 
cause the  mother  does  not  know  the  essentials 
at  critical  times  like  these.  Chapter  Twenty- 
one  is  on  "Guarding  the  Children  Against 
Vice."  Then  there  is  an  important  chapter 
on  "The  Training  of  Children,"  "Body  Build- 
ing" with  a  concluding  chapter  on  some  of 


288          CANVASS  Foil    Yol   \t;    \\'ll 

the   helps   available   to   mothers   in   Mothers' 
Meetings,  etc. 

Mrs.  Smith,  did  you  ever  see  a  more  compre- 
hensive, complete   and   perfect  outline  for  a 
book  to  young  wives  f    It  is  not  only  for  young 
wives,  but  for  wives  whether  young  or  old, 
whether  recently  married  or  already  mothers 
of  several  children.     Hundreds  of  homes 
unhappy  and  sad  consequences  result  been 
of  the  lack  of  just  the  information  which  is 
given  in  this  book  for  the  trifling  sum  of  $1.00. 

Mrs.  Smith,  this  entire  community  is  awake 
to  the  importance  of  this  series  of  books  which 
I  am  presenting.  When  you  have  read  this 
book  to  young  wives  you  will  be  like  many  of 
our  purchasers  everywhere,  you  will  want  a 
copy  of  "What  A  Young  Husband  Ought  To 
Know"  for  your  husband.  Some  clergymen 
feel  the  importance  of  this  series  so  deeply 
that  they  present  copies  of  these  two  books 
with  r:irh  marriage  certificate.  Where 
preacher  has  failed  to  do  that  there  is  no  al- 
t(  rnative  but  for  the  person  to  make  the  pur- 
chase herself.  I  shall  be  delivering  books  here 
to-morrow,  Mrs.  Smith,  when  I  can  bring  you 
a  copy,  or  in  two  weeks  when  I  shall  be  mak 
my  final  delivery.  Thank  you,  Mrs.  Smith. 


CANVASS— WOMAN  OF  FORTY-FIVE.  289 


CANVASS    FOR    "  WOMAN    OP    FORTY- 
FIVE." 

628.  Mrs.  Smith,  the  title  of  this  book  sug- 
gests a  very  important  subject.  "What  A 
Woman  of  Forty-five  Ought  To  Know."  This 
is  the  only  book  upon  this  subject  ever  written 
that  was  not  addressed  to  physicians.  It  isn't 
the  physicians  who  need  to  know,  is  it,  Mrs. 
Smith?  It  is  the  woman  herself,  and  she  is 
the  one  to  whom  this  book  is  addressed. 

A  woman  over  in  Chester,  Pennsylvania,  was 
told  by  her  physician  that  it  would  be  neces- 
sary for  her  to  undergo  a  very  serious  and 
critical  operation.  She  naturally  shrank  from 
it,  for  the  doctor  told  her  that  it  was  so  seri- 
ous that  he  could  not  absolutely  promise  that 
she  would  live  through  it.  About  that  time  she 
learned  of  this  book.  She  bought  a  copy  and 
when  our  canvasser  called  on  her,  she  said  she 
would  not  take  a  thousand  dollars  for  the 
good  this  book  had  been  to  her.  She  made  up 
her  mind  when  she  read  the  book  that  the  au- 
thor, who  was  herself  a  woman,  knew  more 
about  her  condition  than  her  own  physician 
did.  The  book  made  her  intelligent  and  she 
decided  not  to  undergo  the  operation.  Three 
or  four  years  had  passed  by  and  the  results 
had  demonstrated  that  Mrs.  Drake  was  right. 
This  woman  was  thoroughly  well  and  happy 
as  the  result  of  the  information  which  she  se- 
cured from  this  book.  That  was  worth  not 

19 


290  CANVASS— WOMA.\    Of  FORTY-FIVE. 

only  one  dollar,  but  hundreds  of  dollars,  was  it 
not,  Mrs.  Smith  T  No  woman  can  afford  to 
endure  the  perplexities  and  anxi  licli 

cluster  about  this  period  of  her  life,  and  every 
woman  who  has  reached  the  years  of  ma  unity 
ought  to  have  the  information  which  this  book 
contains,  so  that  she  need  not  look  forwnnl 
throughout  her  entire  life  with  apprehension 
and  dread  as  so  many  women  do. 

The  canvasser  may  call  attention  to  th< 
traits  and  commendations  in  the  front  of  the 
book  and  may  also,  if  not  a  woman,  hand  the 
book  to  the  woman  customer  with  the 
that  she  look  over  the  table  of  conten 

That  is  a  very  valuable  table  of  con  tor: 
it    not,   Mrs.    Smith t     Indeed,    this   book   is 
worth  its  weigth  in  gold  to  any  woman  and  es- 
pecially to  anyone  nearing  middle  life. 

Mrs.  Smith,  let  me  have  the  book  just  a  mo- 
ment, I  want  to  show  you  the  portrait  of  the 
author.  She  has  a  fine,  sympathetic  face,  has 
she  not,  Mrs.  Smith?  She  is  a  praetieinir  phy- 
sician of  large  experience,  herself  a  mother  of 
grown  children  and  in  perfect  sympathy  with 
the  women  to  whom  she  writes  in  this  book. 
Concerning  the  author  the  canvasser  may 
large  as  circumstances  require  in  harmony 
with  the  facts  given  in  the  sketch  of  Mrs. 
Drake  in  Part  IV. 

Mrs.  Smith,  I  shall  be  back  in  this  neigh- 
borhood again  to-morrow  and  I  can  bring  you 
a  copy  of  this  book  at  that  time,  or  I  can  de- 
liver you  a  copy  of  the  book  in  two  weeks, 
when  I  will  be  delivering  again  in  this  neigh- 


CANVASS— WOMAN  OF  FORTY-FIVE.  291 

borhood.  Kindly  sign  the  order  blank  right  on 
this  line.  Thank,  you,  Mrs.  Smith,  I  shall  be 
glad  to  bring  it  to  you  to-morrow  as  you  sug- 
gest. T  wish  you  would  read  it  as  early  as  possi- 
ble, for  I  am  sure  you  will  want  to  recommend 
it  to  your  friends  and  your  commendation 
will  be  helpful  to  me  in  the  circulation  of  this 
entire  series. 

Wthere  the  canvasser  is  a  woman  she  may 
readily  enlarge  much  upon  this  canvass  and 
may  call  special  attention  to  various  matters 
in  different  chapters  of  the  book.  Especially 
in  the  table  of  contents. 

It  is  nearly  always  best  to  say  that  all  women 
should  read  this  book  long  before  they  reach 
the  age  of  forty-five.  It  is  much  more  tactful 
not  to  refer  to  the  lady's  age  or  lead  her  to 
believe  that  you  think  her  to  have  reached  the 
age  of  forty-five  or  beyond. 


PART  III 

CLASS  CANVASSING 


CLASS  CANVASSING.  295 

CHAPTER   XV. 
CLASS  CANVASSING. 

629.  What  is  Class  Canvassing ?— When 
ministers,  physicians,  teachers,  lawyers, 
Women's  Christian  Temperance  Union  Work- 
ers, or  any  other  class  of  people  are  canvassed 
separately,  the  canvasser  passing  from  one  to 
another  of  the  same  class  in  succession  until 
he  has  completed  all  that  belongs  to  that 
class,  it  is  called  class  canvassing.  Canvassers 
frequently  meet  with  phenomenal  success  after 
having  canvassed  an  entire  community  by  sin- 
gling out  and  canvassing  any  one  of  the 
classes  which  we  have  named,  and  especially 
Bible  Class  and  Sunday  School  Teachers,  and 
canvassing  them  separately.  The  advantage 
in  class  canvassing  is  found  in  the  fact  that 
the  canvasser  can  familiarize  himself  with 
such  lines  of  treatment,  arguments,  etc.,  as 
are  necessary  to  impress  a  particular  class  of 
persons  whom  he  is  canvassing.  An  experi- 
enced canvasser,  who  has  the  confidence  and 
patience  to  lay  out  his  work  thoroughly,  often 
prefers  to  do  the  class  canvassing  first,  and 
thus  secure  a  large  number  of  influential  names 
which  will  be  valuable  in  his  house  to  house 
canvass.  Beginners  and  inexperienced  canvas- 
sers are  usually  impatient  to  test  what  they 
can  do,  and  in  such  instances  class  canvassing 
may  come  last.  When  doing  class  canvassing 


296  CLASS  CANVASSING. 

a  great  deal  of  time  is  liable  to  be  lost  in  pass- 
ing from  one  district  to  another  remote  sec- 
tion of  the  city.  To  prevent  this,  the  names 
should  all  be  secured  at  one  time  and  the  calls 
arranged  by  streets  and  numbers  so  that  the 
persons  can  all  be  seen  in  one  journey,  in- 
stead of  as  many  journeys  as  there  are  i 
in  the  list.  Always  be  systematic  and  save  your 
time,  for  it  means  money. 


INTERVIEWING  MINISTERS.          297 


INTERVIEWING  MINISTERS. 

630.  The  Attitude  of  Ministers.— As  a  rule, 
ministers  will  always  receive  a  well-dressed, 
respectable-looking   person   cordially,    regard- 
less of  what  his  business  may  be.    After  you 
have  gained  admission  if  you  can  show  them 
that  you  are  a  co-worker  with  them,  accom- 
plishing   in    a    house-to-house    canvass    work 
which  cannot  be  successfully  attempted  in  a 
general  address  to  all  classes  from  the  pulpit, 
you  will  be  sure  to  have  their  sympathy  and 
co-operation. 

Do  not  seek  to  canvass  the  minister,  or  to 
sell  him  books  at  any  of  these  interviews. 
Wait  until  you  have  completed  your  canvass. 
Canvass  him  among  the  very  last  in  the  city. 

631.  Proceed       orderly. — The       canvasser 
should   always   remember   that   ministers   are 
busy  men.    They  are  also  methodical  men.  Do 
not  take  too  much  of  their  time.    Let  them  see 
that  you  value  their  time  the  same  as  they  do 
themselves.  When  you  visit  them  do  not  try  to 
secure  from  them  all  that  is  desired,  and  which 
ought  to  be  attempted  only  in  two,  three  or 
more  visits.    First  of  all,  you  want  to  acquaint 
them  with  the  nature  of  your  work ;  secondly, 
you  want  to  secure  their  interest;  third,  their 
co-operation;   fourth,   their   signature   to   the 
general  endorsement  of  the  books.    Go  this  far 
before  ever  you  say  anything  about  the  pulpit 


298  INTEliVlI-:\Y/\(l   MIMSTER8. 

announcement,  the  distribution  of  pamphlets 
at  the  church  door,  or  anything  else.  Get  one 
thing  at  a  time.  The  human  mind  is  so  con- 
stituted that  it  cannot  deal  with  several  things 
at  one  time.  Paul  said,  "This  one  thing  I 
do."  Secure  the  first  four  steps  before  you 
take  another.  If  the  minister  you  are  inter- 
vii-v.  inir  is  already  acquainted  with  the  books, 
heartily  approves  them,  readily  endorses  your 
commendation  and  it  is  clear  that  he  would  be 
willing  to  make  the  pulpit  announcen 
may  compass  this  purpose  also  in  a  single 
it.  Otherwise,  if  you  ask  too  much  you  may 
iail  in  everything. 

When  to  Canvass  Ministers. — Do  not 
canvass  the  minister  for  his  subscription. 
Leave  him  until  you  have  canvassed  the  en 
community,  and  then  if  he  has  been  of  gr 
assistance  to  you,  go  to  him  and  offer  to  take 
his  subscription  and  to  present  him  without 
charge,  with  as  many  copies  of  the  books  as  he 
subscribes  and  pays  for.  Propose  to  him  that 
if  he  will  subscribe  for  the  four  books  to  men 
you  will  present  him  free  the  four  books  for 
women;  or  if  he  will  subscribe  for  any  one 
book  you  will  present  him  with  any  other  book 
in  the  series.  Suggest  to  him  the  importance  of 
having  the  entire  series  in  his  library  for  the 
purpose  of  loaning  to  persons  who  are  too 
poor,  too  stingy  or  too  indifferent  to  make  the 
purchase  for  themselves.  The  books  for  b 
and  girls,  for  young  men  and  young  women  he 
ought  to  have  in  his  library  to  loan,  so  that  he 


INTERVIEWING    MINISTERS.          299 

can  safeguard  these  classes  from  the  evils 
which  everywhere  prevail.  He  can  more  suc- 
cessfully cope  with  these  evils  by  loaning  one  of 
these  books  than  by  attempting  to  spend  hours 
with  the  person  in  private  conversation.  The 
private  conversation  is  important,  but  the  use 
of  the  book  is  indispensable. 

After  the  entire  community  has  been  thor- 
oughly canvassed,  the  minister  might  desire  to 
place  the  books  in  the  Church  library  or  in  the 
Sunday  School  Library.  We  never  recommend 
the  placing  of  these  books  in  the  Sunday  School 
Library,  although  scores  of  ministers  and  even 
Catholic  priests  have  done  this,  but  it  should 
never  be  done  unless  the  minister  himself  is 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  contents  of  every 
volume  and  is  prepared  to  meet  any  objections 
which  might  be  made  by  some  person  who 
simply  sees  the  book  without  knowing  the 
character  of  its  contents.  If  the  minister  was 
canvassed  first  and  the  books  were  placed  in 
any  of  the  public  libraries  the  persons  who 
know  that  fact  might  decline  to  purchase,  say- 
ing that  they  could  get  it  out  of  the  Church 
Library. 

Where  a  minister  has  been  helpful  to  a  can- 
vasser in  his  work,  and  circumstances  seem  fit- 
ting for  him  to  do  so,  the  canvasser  is  at  lib- 
erty to  make  a  present  of  one,  two  or  even 
four  books  or  more  to  the  minister.  Where 
some  books  are  purchased  by  the  minister  and 
other  copies  are  presented  by  the  canvasser, 
the  minister  must  clearly  understand  that  the 
books  are  never  sold  for  one  cent  less  than  the 


300          INTERVIEWING    MINISTERS. 

full  retail  price  of  $1.00  per  copy  and  that  the 
books  which  he  purchases  are  at  the  full  price 
and  that  the  others  are  strictly  a  donation. 
Unless  this  point  is  made  impressively  clear 
to  the  mind  of  the  minister,  he  is  likely  sub- 
sequently to  write  to  the  company  and  or 
books,  saying  that  he  bought  them  from  the 
canvasser  at  a  reduced  price.  He  may  al><» 
go  to  the  book  dealer  and  make  a  similar 
statement,  and  thus  introduce  confusion  into 
the  business  and  work  great  injury  to  the  cause. 

633.  Attitude  of  Ministers. — Probably  one- 
half  of  the  ministers  you  meet  are  already 
thoroughly  familiar  with  the  character  and 
value  of  the  books.  Many  have  not  only 
seen  them  advertised,  or  heard  them  sp.>k<  n 
of,  but  have  read  the  books.  Nearly  all  min- 
isters have  seen  the  advertisements,  review 
notices,  etc.,  before  ever  the  canvasser  calls. 
The  canvasser  should,  however,  always  be 
ready  and  willing  to  fully  satisfy  any  reason- 
able inquiry.  The  commendations  in  the  front 
of  the  books,  the  letter  of  introduction  from 
the  publishers,  the  endorsements  of  other  min- 
isters, and  the  character  and  manifest  pur- 
pose of  the  canvasser  will  be  sufficient  to  se- 
cure the  desired  endorsement.  Sometimes  it 
may  be  necessary  to  leave  one,  two  or  more 
books  for  examination.  It  is,  however,  always 
better  that  one  book  should  be  read  thorough- 
ly, rather  than  that  two  or  three  books  should 
be  dipped  into  at  different  points  without 
understanding  the  character  and  relations  of 


INTERVIEWING  MINISTERS.  301 

one  paragraph  to  other  portions  of  the  entire 
work.  Where  a  minister  has  time  only  for  a 
brief  examination  it  is  always  best  to  leave  a 
copy  of  f  l  What  a  Young  Boy  Ought  to  Know ' ' 
and  ask  him  to  read  pages  41  to  86.  In  these 
few  pages,  which  can  be  read  in  twenty  or 
thirty  minutes,  a  bird's-eye  view  can  best  be 
secured  of  the  thought  and  purpose  of  the  en- 
tire series.  If  the  minister  will  take  the  time 
also  to  read  the  " Foreword  to  Parents/'  so 
much  the  better.  In  all  instances  the  can- 
vasser must  be  prepared  to  exercise  good 
judgment  promptly. 


302  THE  INTERVIEW. 


THE  INTERVIEW. 

634.    Good   morning,   this  is   the  Rev.  Dr. 
Jones,  Pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church,  I  beli< 
My  name  is  Brown,  at  the  same  time  extend- 
ing your  hand,  stepping  forward  and  « 
without  hesitation.     If  the  servant  comes  to 
the  door,   inquire  for  Dr.  Jones,  saying  that 
you  would  like  to  see  him  personally  for  a 
moment,   step  inside   and   await  ing. 

Good  morning,  Dr.  Jones;  I  am  a  student  at 
Harvard  College,  preparing  for  the  n 
During   vacations    I   devote   myself   to   some 
work  which  shall  be  a  blessing  to  humanity 
and  enable  me  to  secure  the  means  to  pr< 
cute  my  studies.    I  have  come  to  your  city  to 
awaken  a  general  interest  in  the  cause  of  \ 
sonal  and  social  purity.     I  am  engaged  in  a 
movement  which  is  quite  general  throughout 
the  country.    We  are  seeking  to  protect  the 
purity    of   boys    and    girls,    young   men    and 
young  women,  to  safeguard  the  home  and  set 
up  a  single  standard  of  purity,  alike  for  men 
and  women. 

In  doing  this  work,  Dr.  Jones,  we  are  ac- 
complishing what  every  minister  feels  should 
be  done,  but  which  is  so  delicate,  difficult  and 
even  dangerous  that  he  hesitates  to  attempt 
it  from  the  pulpit.  Therefore  ministers  every- 
where recognize  us  as  co-workers  with  them  in 
this  great  cause,  and  not  only  cheerfully,  but 
most  cordially  give  us  their  co-operation  and 
assistance. 


THE   INTERVIEW.  303 

The  distribution  of  tracts  has  proven  inef- 
fective, and  we  are  prosecuting  the  work  with 
a  series  of  books  which  have  commended  them- 
selves to  the  eminent  and  good  in  this  and 
every  land,  that  have  been  translated  in  India, 
Japan,  Korea  and  other  countries  by  Church 
missionary  societies  for  the  use  of  their  mis- 
sionaries in  their  work,  which,  indeed,  have 
been  translated  into  some  twenty  different 
languages,  and  are  read  today  in  every  coun- 
try on  the  globe.  You  are,  of  course,  familiar 
with  Dr.  Stall's  books  in  the  Self  and  Sex  Se- 
ries. Open  your  case  and  call  his  attention 
to  the  books.  Go  over  the  titles  of  the  books, 
show  him  the  portraits  and  commendations, 
tables  of  contents  or  whatever  may  be  sug- 
gested by  the  knowledge  or  lack  of  knowledge 
which  he  manifests  with  regard  to  the  charac- 
ter and  purpose  of  the  books.  Show  him  the 
commendation  which  you  wish  him  to  sign,  and 
have  him  understand  that  you  hope  to  secure 
the  signatures  of  the  pastors  of  all  the  other 
churches  to  the  same  endorsement.  If  there 
are  two,  three  or  more  canvassers  in  the  same 
city,  he  should  be  requested  to  sign  that  num- 
ber of  commendations,  so  that  each  canvasser 
may  have  a  copy. 

After  you  have  secured  his  signature  you 
should  then  determine  whether  his  interest 
warrants  you  in  saying  anything  at  that  time 
about  the  announcement  from  the  pulpit  on 
Sunday.  If  you  decide  that  it  is  best  to  omit 
it  until  later,  then  try  and  arrange  to  call 
on  Saturday  afternoon  or  evening,  but  when 


304  THE  L\  Tl-RVIEW. 

you  call  do  not  sit  down  or  tarry,  but  simply 
request  and  secure  his  additional  assistance  in 
a  pulpit  announcement.  Hand  him  a  copy  of 
the  printed  announcement,  suggest  that  he  can 
make  any  changes  that  he  sees  fit,  secure  his 
promise  to  make  the  announcement  (see  Par- 
agraph 433)  leaves  copies  of  any  printed  mat- 
ter you  wish  distributed  at  the  door  as  the 
congregation  passes  out,  complete  your  work 
as  briefly  as  posible,  and,  thanking  him  heart- 
ily, leave  him  to  his  work. 

635.  Will  Ministers  Help? — Canvassers  will 
usually  find  the  majority  of  ministers  not  only 
willing,  but  ready  to  help  by  endorsing  the 
books,  making  the  announcement  from 
pulpit  and  giving  them  every  possible  assist- 
ance and  co-operation.  Baptists,  Method 
Presbyterians,  Lutherans  (English)  and  all 
others  are  usually  ready  without  hesitation. 
Rectors  of  Episcopal  parishes  are  more  likely 
than  almost  any  others  to  be  reluctant,  and 
on  that  account  should  generally  be  left  to 
visit  last,  so  that  the  canvasser  may  have  the 
added  influence  of  the  names  and  commenda- 
tions of  all  the  other  pastors.  As  a  rule,  Cath- 
olic priests  will  heartily  commend  the  books  pri- 
vately, but  almost  universally  decline  to  sign 
the  commendations.  This  is  in  harmony  with 
the  rules  and  regulations  of  their  church,which 
should  be  respected  by  the  canvasser,  but  the 
end  sought  may  be  largely  secured  by  having 
the  priest  assure  the  canvasser  that  he  ap- 
proves the  books,  and  that  he  will  heartily 


THE  INTERVIEW.  305 

recommend  them  to  any  one  who  inquires  per- 
sonally of  him,  and  with  these  two  assurances 
clearly  and  definitely  understood,  the  can- 
vasser is  at  liberty  to  say  to  any  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Catholic  Church  whose  homes  he 
may  enter  that  the  books  are  approved  and 
commended  by  the  priest. 

636.  Thanking  the  Ministers. — On  Monday 
after  the  announcements  have  been  made  in 
the  pulpits  or  as  early  afterward  as  possible, 
the  canvasser  should  try  and  find  time  to  drop 
in,  or  simply  to  stop  at  the  door  and  thank 
the  clergyman  for  his  kindness  and  co-opera- 
tion.    If   you   are   at  his   church   service   on 
Sunday  morning  or  evening,  remain  to  thank 
him    then.     Always     attend    church    services 
morning  and  evening,  the  sessions  of  the  Sun- 
day School,  the  midweek  prayer  meeting,  and 
let  the  pastors  and  Christian  people  of  the 
community  feel  that  you  are  interested  in  the 
great  cause  of  the  Master  beyond  the  matter 
of  making  money. 

637.  Sunday  School  Workers. — If  you  can 
get  the  name  of  the  Sunday  School  Superin- 
tendent, without  asking  the  pastor,  do  so.  From 
the  Superintendent  or  Secretary  of  the  Sunday 
School  you  can  learn  the  names  of  the  teach- 
ers, and  these  you  can  arrange  to  see  by  a 
class  canvass  or  otherwise.    Get  not  only  their 
names,  but  their  addresses,  and  when  calling 
address  them  by  their  name  and  tell  them  that 
as  a  teacher  in  such  and  such  a  Sunday  School 

20 


306  TEL  WTMKVIMW. 

you  have  called  to  see  them  in  reference  to  a 
great  work  in  which  you  are  engaged.  Show 
them  the  importance  of  understanding  this 
subject  in  its  sacredness  for  themselves,  and 
also  that  they  may  be  able  to  understand  the 
nature  of  those  whose  instruction  is  committed 
into  their  hands.  Where  young  women  of  20 
years  of  age  and  upward  are  teaching  classes 
of  boys  they  ought  to  know  the  contents  of 
"What  a  Young  Boy  Ought  to  Know"  in  ad- 
dition to  the  book  suited  to  their  own  age  and 
sex.  If  they  are  teaching  a  class  of  girls  they 
ought  to  have  the  book  to  "Young  Girls. "  If 
they  are  teaching  a  Bible  class  of  n 
ought  to  have  the  books  for  men.  They  ought 
to  understand  the  persons  with  whom  they  are 
\\orking,  of  whatever  class  or  age  they  may 
be.  It  may  be  well  to  omit  the  Sii]  iont 

until  the  close  of  the  canvass  and  then  can- 
vass him  at  the  same  time  when  canvassing 
the  mini 

638.  Other  Suggestions.— With  regard  to 
pulpit  announcements,  notices  in  the  daily  pa- 
pers, etc.,  the  canvasser  is  referred  to  Para- 
graphs 432  to  435,  inclusive. 


CANVASSING  TEACHERS.  307 


CANVASSING  TEACHERS. 

639.  The  Salutation. — Approach,  saluta- 
tion and  introductory  utterances  in  this  can- 
vass may  be  very  much  the  same  as  those  in 
the  preceding  one  to  ministers.  Teachers  are 
likely  to  be  interested  in  you  personally  be- 
cause you  are  a  student,  and  particularly  so 
because  you  are  earning  the  money  to  pay 
your  own  way  through  college.  After  the  in- 
troduction proceed  as  follows: 

Teachers  are  among  our  best  co-workers.  To 
them  the  young  look  not  only  for  instruction 
in  the  ordinary  rudiments  of  knowledge,  but 
also  for  guidance  in  matters  where  error  is 
fatal. 

I  am  sure  you  will  be  glad  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  this  series  of  books,  for  they 
make  it  possible  better  to  understand  the  na- 
ture of  boys  and  girls,  of  young  men  and 
young  women,  and  thus  better  qualify  the 
teacher  to  whom  the  young  naturally  and 
rightfully  turn  for  guidance  and  guarding. 

So  often  parents  do  not  know  how  to  teach 
their  children  sacred  truths,  and  the  children 
are  left  either  to  their  pastors  or  teachers  in 
these  delicate  matters.  If  they  do  not  instruct 
the  rising  generation,  then  there  is  nothing 
left  to  them  but  the  teachings  of  those  who 
defile  and  degrade  the  young. 

As  you  know  there  is  a  growing  sentiment 
abroad  that  the  knowledge  of  special  physiol- 


308  CANVA88INO  TEACHERS. 

ogy  should  be  taught  in  all  the  schools.  These 
books  have  made  such  an  impression  upon  the 
minds  of  educators  that  the  author  has  been 
importuned  again  and  again  to  adapt  the  teach- 
ing of  these  books  to  the  text  book  form. 
There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  time  is  rapidly 
approaching  when  the  subject  of  special  phy- 
siology will  be  taught  in  the  school,  the  same 
as  the  effects  of  stimulants  and  narcotics  are 
now  being  taught.  The  teacher  who  would  be 
up  with  the  growing  thought  along  these  lines 
should  be  familiar  with  these  truths  as  un- 
folded in  the  pure,  clean  way  laid  down  in 
those  books.  Indeed,  many  teachers  are  not 
able  to  understand  how  developing  boys  and 
girls  are  sometimes  transmitted  into  restless, 
rebellious,  and  sometimes  into  incorrigible  boys 
and  girls.  All  (his  in  indicated  in  the  earlier 
books  in  this  series. 

Committees  have  already  been  appointed  in 
the  large  purity  conventions  and  by  Women's 
Christian  Temperance  Union  Workers,  and 
writers  are  at  work  upon  the  subject  of  adopt- 
ing these  teachings  to  text  book  form  for  use 
in  the  class  room. 

Teachers  who  would  be  up  with  the  growing 
sentiment  and  the  coming  conditions  should 
have  the  knowledge  of  these  subjects  as  con- 
tained in  this  series  of  books. 

As  a  teacher  you  know  that  the  condition 
of  the  body  determines  the  condition  of  the 
mind.  The  mental  depends  upon  the  phy- 
sical. These  books  put  the  reader  in  pos- 
session of  physical  facts  in  a  clean  way,  and 


CANVASSING  TEACHERS.  309 

lift  the  thought  and  aspiration  from  the  grov- 
eling and  carnal  to  the  things  that  are  good 
and  pure. 

640.  Startling  Testimonies.— That  the  can- 
vasser may  have  some  facts  both  to  stimulate 
his  own  mind,  and  also  with  which  to  arouse 
educators  everywhere,  we  give  the  following 
startling  facts. 

From  students  in  a  large  and  popular  col- 
lege not  far  removed  from  the  City  of  New 
York  we  learn  that  not  only  do  vices  prevail 
in  that  institution  to  an  alarming  extent,  but 
the  diseases  which  accompany  vice  are  very 
prevalent  among  the  students. 

As  a  result  of  a  personal  canvass  in  one  of 
the  large  institutions  in  a  Western  State  it 
was  found  that  of  the  three  hundred  and 
thirty-two  students  only  thirteen  did  not  con- 
fess to  acquaintance  with  impurity,  personal, 
social,  or  both. 

A  professor  in  one  of  our  colleges  writes: 
"I  have  been  talking  plainly  to  our  students 
and  everyone  thus  far  has  confessed  with 
tears  to  being  guilty.  We  see  the  effects  men- 
tal, moral  and  physical  as  plainly  as  one  can 
see  the  blight  on  a  tender  young  tree." 

Dr.  Helen  P.  Kennedy  says:  "Of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  girls  from  whom  I  ob- 
tained written  statements  on  subjects  of  per- 
sonal purity,  thirty-six  passed  into  woman- 
hood with  no  knowledge  whatsoever,  from  a 
proper  source,  of  all  that  makes  them  women ; 
thirty-nine  had  received  a  very  meagre  amount 


310  CANVASSING  TEACHERS. 

of  instruction,  while  less  than  one-half  of  the 
whole  number  felt  free  to  talk  to  their  own 
mothers  on  this  important  subject. " 

The  University  of  Michigan  met  the  situa- 
tion by  a  course  of  lectures  given  before  the 
Medical  Department  which  illustrated  and  set 
forth  the  character  and  results  of  the  dis- 
eases which  accompany  vice,  and  although  pri- 
marily announced  for  the  medical  stmlents, 
large  numbers  of  students  from  other  depart- 
ments attended.  The  wisdom  of  such  a 
course  in  :i  university  cannot  be  over-i 
mated;  but  in  institutions  where  then*  is  no 
medical  department,  this  duty  must  be  < 
charged  by  those  upon  whom  it  maniiV-tly 
rests,  for  the  duty  cannot  be  evaded. 

Degrading  influences  were  found  so  preva- 
lent in  a  large  school  in  one  of  our  States  that 
the  authorities  thought  best  to  dispense  with 
the  recess  hour.  How  much  better  to  havo 
corrected  the  evil  and  then  permitted  the  chil- 
dren to  have  the  exercise  and  invigoration 
which  is  one  of  the  best  antidotes  to  vice. 
What  they  needed  was  not  less  play,  but  more 
intelligence,  and  intelligence  of  the  right  s 

As  a  light-house  sheds  its  rays  over  tho 
stormy  waters  to  warn  of  the  rocks  and  shoals 
so  our  teachers  should  speak  words  of 
warning  as  well  as  advice  to  the  students 
placed  in  their  charge,  as  they  are  largely  the 
victims  of  ignorance. 

641.  Discovering  conditions. — If  any  super- 
intendent of  a  public  school  is  in  doubt  with 


CANVASSING  TEACHERS.  311 

regard  to  the  actual  conditions  which  exist 
among  the  pupils  under  his  care  and  instruc- 
tion, it  should  be  impressed  upon  him  that  it 
is  his  duty  to  find  out  what  the  conditions 
are.  This  can  be  done  in  various  ways,  ac- 
cording to  the  class  and  conditions  of  the 
school  and  the  age  of  the  pupils.  Wherever 
an  effort  is  made  it  ought  always  to  be  done  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  protect  all  who  are  asked 
to  impart  information  concerning  themselves. 
What  those  in  charge  need  to  know  are  the 
facts.  It  is  not  necessary  in  colleges  to  dis- 
close the  identity  of  the  individuals  who  are 
asked  to  fill  out  circular  matter. 

It  can  sometimes  be  done  by  asking  several 
students  who  are  intelligent  and  whose  judg- 
ments are  reliable  in  order  to  discover  some- 
thing of  the  actual  condition;  it  can  be  done 
by  the  principal  calling  into  his  room  pupils 
whose  countenances  and  personal  appearance 
readily  disclose  the  evil  which  they  are  in- 
dulging. Where  the  inquisitor  acts  with  de- 
cision, the  revelations  are  quite  certain. 

In  college  communities  it  is  not  difficult  for 
the  president  or  some  one  in  charge  to  consult 
local  resident  physicians,  not  for  the  purpose 
of  having  him  disclose  professional  secrets 
concerning  particular  individuals,  but  to  learn 
from  them  what  are  the  actual  conditions  as 
disclosed  by  their  professional  practice. 

642.  Conditions  as  They  Exist.— An  intel- 
ligent', observing  correspondent  writes  us  as 
follows:  "I  have  been  in  nearly  all  the  big  col- 


312  CANVASSING  TEACHERS. 

leges  and  universities  from  the  Atlantic  to 
the  Pacific  and  from  Canada  to  South  Caro- 
lina, and  have  talked  with  thousands  of  the 
best  students,  and  in  all  these  schools  I  have 
only  found  three  men  who  say  their  fathers 
ever  taught  them  anything  along  this  line.  Dr. 
1'aunce,  President  of  Brown  University,  asked 
all  the  students  to  get  the  ' Young  Man'  book 
and  read  it,  and  if  they  couldn  't  afford  to  buy 
it  he  would  lend  it  to  them.  Dr.  Thompson, 
of  Ohio  State  University,  says  that  if  the 
books  were  placed  in  every  home  in  this  coun- 
try he  thinks  it  would  revolutionize  the  mor- 
als of  the  country  in  ten  years.  Personally  I 
think  that  if  every  boy  and  girl  in  the  coun- 
try could  get  those  books  and  read  them,  study 
them,  and  appreciate  them,  in  thirty  years 
from  now  our  jails,  insane  asylums  and  sa- 
loons wouldn't  be  half  so  full." 

643.  The  Teacher's  Influence. — Many  a 
successful  man,  looking  down  in  later  life,  from 
the  eminence  he  has  attained,  has  gratefully 
acknowledged  the  influence  of  his  teacher  in 
moulding  his  character  and  determining  his 
destiny.  Many  an  Arnold,  of  Rugby,  or  an 
Andrews,  of  Brown,  or  a  Low,  of  Columbia, 
by  their  wise  counsels  are  an  inspiration  to 
those  under  their  influence.  Many  teachers, 
not  so  eminent,  have  also  wooed  and  won 
thousands  of  youths  from  paths  that  were  en- 
snaring, and  won  them  to  lives  of  rectitude 
and  honor. 


CANVASSING  TEACHERS.  313 

644.  How  to  Beach  the  Boy. — The  teacher 
who  is  anxious  to  reach  and  save  the  boys  will 
find  some  good  and  effective  way  to  accomplish 
this  result.    To  such,  the  following  letter  from 
a  teacher  may  be  suggestive: 

"Two  months  ago  I  ordered  from  you  the 
first  two  of  Dr.  Stall's  books  for  men.  As 
principal  of  our  school,  I  have  been  assem- 
bling the  boys  of  fourteen  and  over  one  even- 
ing each  week,  in  my  room,  where  we  read  the 
books  aloud  and  discuss  whenever  it  seems  ex- 
pedient. 

"Being  only  a  young  man  myself  I  entered 
this  work  in  doubt  as  to  how  the  boys  or  their 
parents  would  receive  it.  We  are  half  through 
with  the  second  book  and  the  boys  say  it  is  be- 
ing a  great  benefit  to  them.  Our  discussions 
are  open  and  frank,  without  a  trace  of  impure 
suggestion;  and  the  parents  are  encouraging 
me  to  go  ahead  with  such  instruction  to  their 
boys. 

"Another  good  result  is  that  several  of  the 
boys  who  were  most  unruly  in  school  can  now 
be  controlled  by  a  look  or  word,  as  a  result  of 
the  confidence  established  between  us  by  this 
reading. 

"I  heartily  endorse  Dr.  Stall's  books  and 
the  whole  purity  movement. " 

645.  Educators    Using    the    Books.— The 
manner  in  which  hundreds  of  educators  all 
over  the  country  are  using  these  books  to  fur- 
ther the  work  of  personal  and  social^  purity 
among  the  young  people  under  their  instruc- 


314  CANVASSING  TEACHERS. 

tion  and  influence  will  appear  from  the  few 
paragraphs  which  follow,  and  many  more 
might  be  added: 

The  president  of  one  of  the  large  State 
Normal  Schools,  who  recognized  the  import- 
ance of  affording  his  pupils  the  best  possible 
information  along  the  lines  of  personal  and 
social  purity,  after  carefully  examining  this 
series  of  books,  placed  them  in  the  library  for 
the  use  of  the  young  men  and  women  in  at- 
tendance. The  other  books  that  previously 
had  occupied  a  place  on  the  shelves,  in  com- 
parison with  these,  were  considered  possibly 
harmful,  and  were  taken  out  and  destroyed. 

The  president  of  a  college,  when  ordering 
a  quantity  of  "Wliat  a  Young  Man  Ought  to 
Know/'  says:  "I  have  introduced  this  as  a 
text-book  in  my  school,  and  I  feel  sure  it  will 
be  of  great  value  to  the  young  men." 

The  professor  of  Physiology  of  the  Iowa 
State  Normal  School  requests  all  of  the  young 
men  under  his  instruction  to  read  the  Purity 
Books  in  the  Self  and  Sex  Series  addressed 
to  men,  and  he  also  requests  all  the  young 
women  in  his  class  to  read  each  of  the  four 
books  in  the  same  series  addressed  to  women. 

An  educator  in  one  of  the  Western  cities 
says:  "My  copies  of  these  books  are  out  all 
of  the  time,  and  one  scarcely  gets  through  un- 
til another  wants  them." 

An  intelligent  lady,  who  is  a  teacher  in  one 
of  the  New  England  schools,  writes:  "I  most 
heartily  sympathize  with  your  work,  as  in  my 
twenty-five  and  more  years,  part  of  which  time 


CANVASSING  TEACHERS.  315 

I  have  spent  as  a  teacher,  I  have  realized  the 
need  of  proper  instruction  for  boys  and  girls 
in  our  schools  and  homes,  and  realize  also  that 
the  parents  are  often  nearly  as  ignorant  of  the 
true  idea  of  life  as  the  children. " 

The  County  Superintendent  of  Public 
Schools  in  Monongalia  county,  West  Vir- 
ginia, writes  that  the  school  boards  of  the 
county  have  adopted  the  Purity  Books  in  the 
Self  and  Sex  Series  for  a  place  in  the  libraries 
of  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  schools. 

The  School  Board  of  Public  Instruction  of 
Morristown,  New  Jersey,  have  placed  a  full 
set  of  the  Purity  Books  in  the  Self  and  Sex  se- 
ries in  their  teachers'  library. 

646.  Commendations. — The  canvasser  may 
call  the  attention  of  teachers  to  the  commen- 
dations of  eminent  educators  found  in  "  Young 
Men"  and  " Young  Women,"  such  as  Dr. 
Faunce,  president  of  Brown  University;  Dr. 
Warfield,  president  of  Lafayette  College;  Dr. 
Andrews,  chancellor  of  the  University  of 
Nebraska;  Mrs.  May  Wright  Sewall,  the  prom- 
inent educator,  and  formely  president  of  the 
International  Council  of  Women;  Mrs.  Helen 
Campbell,  of  the  Kansas  State  Agricultural 
College,  and  others. 


31G  CANVASSING  PHYSICIANS. 


CANVASSING  PHYSICIANS. 

647.  Physicians  are  Interested. — No  other 
set  of  men   in   the  community  have  a  fuller 
knowledge  of  the  need  for  the  widest  possible 
dissemination  of  these  books  than  the  pin 
cian.     They  are  among  our  \\an 

and  most  enthusiastic  supporters.    While  they 
already  possess  much  of  the  information  ( 
tained  in  these  books,  they  do  not  posses  it 
either  in  their  minds  or  in  their  libraries  in  the 
form  in  which  it  is  presented  in  these  b<> 
When    they    come    to    know    the    exceptional 
character  of  these  books,  they  frequently  pur- 
chase  them  for  their  own   reading,   and    not 
infrequently  place   the   entire  series   in   their 
libraries  to  loan  to  their  patients.    Many  phy- 
-icians  commend  them  to  their  patients,  and 
one  physician  in   New  Jersey  sold   over 
hundred  by  simply  purchasing  fii  -  at 

a  time,  piling  them  up  on  the  table  in  his 
waiting  room,  and  allowing  his  patients  to 
come  in  contact  with  them  while  awaiting 
their  turn.  He  would  allow  them  to  take  them 
home  and  read  them,  bring  them  back  and  ex- 
change them  for  other  books  of  the  series,  and 
if  they  desired  to  retain  a  book,  or  to  purchase 
the  entire  series,  at  a  cost  of  one  dollar  per 
copy. 

648.  The  Canvass. — The  approach,  saluta- 
tion and  explanation  of  your  visit  may  be  very 


CANVASSING  PHYSICIANS.  317 

much  the  same  as  that  indicated  in  the  canvass 
of  a  minister,  and  after  this  proceed  as  fol- 
lows: 

Doctor,  I  am  glad  to  come  to  you  in  this 
great  work  in  which  I  am  engaged,  for  as  a 
physician  you  are  a  leader  in  public  thought. 
You  are  eminently  a  guardian  of  public  morals, 
health  and  happiness.  Originally,  you  remem- 
ber, the  office  of  preacher  and  physician  were 
united  in  one  person.  The  Master  sent  out  His 
disciples  to  "preach  the  gospel  and  heal  the 
sick."  While  the  physician  does  not  now 
stand  in  the  pulpit,  he  is  yet  a  teacher  in  the 
community,  and  the  entire  community  has  a 
right  to  look  to  him  for  its  guidance  in  these 
very  important  matters. 

These  books,  doctor,  which  I  am  introducing 
into  the  homes,  are  arrayed  against  quacks 
and  all  the  impostors  who  prey  upon  the  com- 
munity and  enrich  themselves  from  the  infirm- 
ities of  those  who  can  be  gulled.  These  books 
recommend  no  medicines  or  remedies,  but  ad- 
vise the  people  at  all  times  and  under  all  cir- 
cumstances when  needing  medical  advice,  to 
consult  their  own  family  physician. 

While  you  have  a  large  number  of  medical 
books  suited  to  your  own  study  and  investiga- 
tion, the  books  in  this  series  present  the  sub- 
ject in  just  such  a  way  as  a  physician  would 
desire  to  use  when  simplifying  the  whole  sub- 
ject to  the  comprehension  of  the  ordinary  lay 
mind.  Like  all  other  parents,  you  will  not 
only  want  this  set  of  books  to  bring  this  im- 
portant information  in  the  very  best  way,  to 


318  CANVASSING  PHYSICIANS. 

the  minds  of  your  own  children,  but  like  so 
many  of  your  profession  you  will  need  this 
entire  series  to  loan  to  your  patients  from  time 
to  time.  Dr.  Orville  B.  Horwitz,  of  Philadel- 
phia, Profesor  of  Genito-Urinary  diseases  in 
the  Jefferson  Medical  College,  sends  scores  of 
young  men  to  our  publishers  for  a  copy  of 
"\\rhat  a  Young  Man  Ought  to  Know"  and 
"What  a  Young  Husband  Ought  to  Know," 
and  scores  and  hundreds  of  physicians  every- 
where recommend  these  books  and  use  them 
in  the  same  way. 

Hon.  J.  J.  H.  Gregory,  of  Marblehead,  Mas- 
sachusetts, formerly  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
chusetts  Senate,  has  bought  more  than  1,300 
copies  of  these  books  and  given  them  away. 
He  has  also  left  a  legacy  in  his  will,  the  inter- 
est of  which  is  to  be  used  in  circulating  these 
books. 

These  books  are  commended  by  all  the  med- 
ical journals  in  the  most  unqualified  way. 

That  the  canvasser  may  understand  what 
the  medical  papers  have  said  upon  this  subject, 
we  append  a  page  of  commendations.  T: 
books  have  been  reviewed  and  heartily  com- 
mended by  the  medical,  educational,  roli^ious 
and  secular  press  of  this  country  and  Great 
Britain.  Of  the  two  or  three  thousand  enthu- 
siastic commendations,  the  canvasser  will  find 
a  few  samples  in  the  back  of  one  or  other  of 
the  books. 

649.    What  Medical  Authorities  Say.— "  It 
is  written  in  a  chaste  and  pure  manner,  and  is 


CANVASSING  PHYSICIANS.  319 

scientifically  correct.  We  heartily  commend 
it." — Chicago  Medical  Recorder. 

1  'Of  great  value  to  every  one  entering  upon 
manhood." — The  Medical  World. 

"It  is  not  easy  to  conceive  how  this  difficult 
subject  could  be  handled  more  delicately  or 
effectively."— The  Alkaloidal  Clinic. 

"Without  a  rival  in  literature  of  its  class." 
— Annals  of  Gynecology  and  Pediatry. 

"We  find  nothing  from  which  to  dissent, 
but  much  to  commend.  The  chapters  on  mar- 
riage are  specially  to  be  commended." — Jour- 
nal of  the  American  Medical  Association. 

"The  book  is  well  written.  We  commend  it 
to  the  lay  reader." — The  Chicago  Clinic. 

"Dr.  Stall  has  undertaken  the  task  of  en- 
lightening mankind  upon  all  the  vexed  ques- 
tions of  sex  relationship.  We  have  already 
taken  pleasure  in  reviewing  former  works  of 
this  series,  and  can  only  add  that  this  is  of  the 
same  high  character.  "—The  Syracuse  Clinic. 

The  canvasser  can  also  refer  to  the  personal 
commendations  of  Dr.  Porter,  Dr.  Munde,  Dr. 
Boldt  and  Dr.  Howard  A.  Kelly  in  the  opening 
pages  of  "Young  Man"  and  "Young  Hus- 
band." 


PART  IV 

SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS 


21 


SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS.  323 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
SYLVANUS  STALL,  D.  D. 
A  Man  with  a  Message. 

By  L.  M.  Cross. 

650.  A  man  who  has  a  message  is  always 
sure  of  an  audience.  You  can  no  more  pre- 
vent the  crowds  from  getting  within  reach  of 
the  message  than  you  can  cork  up  an  active 
volcano  or  restrain  the  onrushing  tides  of  Ni- 
agara. The  man  who  has  a  message  and  burns 
to  tell  it  will  tell  it  even  if  he  hcts  to  burn  to 
do  so.  The  messenger  is  born  for  the  mes- 
sage. Our  divine  Father  seems  to  early  instil 
into  the  mind  of  a  messenger  the  message  that 
He  would  have  him  deliver. 

In  a  little  village  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
back  in  the  sixties,  a  thoughtful  Christian  boy 
was  anxiously  asking  questions  about  his  re- 
productive nature.  His  parents  did  not  an- 
swer him.  He  did  not  like  the  way  his  com- 
panions replied  to  him.  He  sought  an  an- 
swer from  books,  but  he  found  that  the  litera- 
ture then  obtainable  imparted  the  information 
in  a  degrading  manner.  He  asked  himself  the 
question,  "Why  has  not  somebody  written  a 
book  on  this  subject  in  a  pure  manner  that 
even  a  boy  can  read?" 

It  was  when  Sylvanus  Stall  was  a  boy  of 


324  SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS. 

fifteen  that  God  placed  in  his  heart  the  thought 
to  write  a  book  that  a  Christian  boy  could 
safely  read.  For  years  he  hid  this  secret  in 
his  own  heart  and  brain,  but  never  for  a  mo- 
ment lost  sight  of  it. 

His  parents  died  when  he  was  a  lad.  After 
receiving  a  common  school  education,  lio  a<M< ••! 
a  course  at  a  commercial  college  and  then  had 
three  years'  experience  in  mercantile  pursuits 
as  a  salesman,  and  later  as  cashier  with  the 
firm  of  Lord  &  Taylor,  New  York  City.  In 
1866  he  decided  to  yield  to  what  he  felt  to  be 
a  divine  call  to  the  ministry,  and  the  same 
year  he  entered  the  classical  department  of 
Hartwick  Seminary,  Otsepo  county,  New  York. 
In  1867  he  entered  the  Preparatory  Depart- 
ment at  Gettysburg,  graduating  from  Pennsyl- 
vania College  in  1872. 

Whilst  i  his  studies  at  college  he 

paid  a  portion  of  his  college  expenses  by  can- 
vassing for  books,  and  Dr.  Stall  now  places  a 
very  high  estimate  upon  the  experience  he 
then  gained  in  this  work.  It  gave  him  a 
knowledge  of  mankind  and  has  proven  of  the 
highest  value  to  him  in  his  work,  both  as  a 
preacher  and  author.  Dr.  Stall  also  studied 
for  one  year  at  the  Union  Theological  Semi- 
nary in  New  York  City.  He  next  traveled 
abroad  for  five  months  in  the  various  countries 
of  Europe.  He  was  ordained  to  the  ministry 
in  the  Lutheran  church  in  1874.  In  that  same 
year  he  was  married  and  also  entered  upon 
his  first  charge  at  Cobleskill,  New  York  State. 
He  next  served  two  churches  in  Pennsylvania, 


SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS.  325 

after  which  he  became  pastor  of  the  Second 
English  Lutheran  Church  in  Baltimore,  where 
a  remarkable  work  was  accomplished.  In  two 
years  254  persons  were  added  to  the  church 
membership  and  a  large  amount  of  money  was. 
raised  for  church  improvements.  It  was  whilst 
Dr.  Stall  was  pastor  of  this  church  that  he 
preached  his  "Five  Minute  Object  Sermons  to 
Children/'  which  were  received  with  such 
great  favor  by  large  audiences  of  both  chil- 
dren and  grown  people.  He  appealed  through 
eye-gate  and  ear-gate  for  admission  into  the 
city  of  child-soul. 

Dr.  Stall  believes  in  system.  His  pastoral 
work  was  noted  for  its  method  and  thorough- 
ness, and  in  1876  he  published  "Stall's  Pas- 
tor's Pocket  Record "  which  is  known  and  rec- 
ommended to-day  by  the  ministers  of  all  de- 
nominations as  being  the  very  best  book  of  its 
class  published. 

Many  a  pastor  of  a  struggling  church,  han- 
dicapped by  a  heavy  debt,  also  owes  to  Dr. 
Stall  a  debt  of  obligation  for  his  timely  volume 
on  "How  to  Pay  Church  Debts  and  How  to 
Keep  Churches  Out  of  Debt,"  which  was  pub- 
lished in  1880.  In  1887  his  valuable  contribu- 
tion to  practical  church  problems  entitled, 
"Methods  of  Church  Work/'  was  published. 
He  also  compiled  "Bible  Selections  for  Daily 
Devotion,"  which  is  in  use  in  many  Christian 
homes  for  family  worship.  In  1890  he  became 
Associate  Editor  of  the  "Lutheran  Observer, 
one  of  the  most  influential  journals  of 
Lutheran  denomination  in  America,  which  po- 


328  SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS. 

MI  ion  he  held  for  eleven  years.  The  degree  of 
D.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by  his  Alma 
Mater,  Pennsylvania  College,  in  1893. 

During  all  the  years  of  faithful  and  devoted 
service  when  Dr.  Stall  was  absorbingly  en- 
gaged as  editor,  making  an  enviable  name  as 
an  author  of  books  along  the  lines  of  practical 
church  work,  and  while  ministering  as  a 
preacher  most  successfully  to  large  congrega- 
tions, he  never  for  one  moment  forgot  the 
covenant  he  had  made  when  a  mere  lad — he 
never  lost  sight  of  his  life  purpose.  It  was 
constantly  before  him,  shining  like  a  star  at 
night  and  blazing  as  a  sun  by  day.  No  dis- 
tinctions won  nor  laurels  achieved  along  other 
linos  could  ever  lure  him  from  paths  which  he 
believed  God  had  mapped  out  for  him.  Wl 
ever  he  saw  a  book  which  he  judged  would 
prove  helpful  to  him  he  purchased  it,  and  lui<l 
it  away  for  the  propitious  time,  which  he  be- 
lieved, in  God's  good  providence  would  surely 
come. 

In  the  year  1897,  with  an  unfaltering  and 
abiding  faith,  he  published  the  covenanted 
volumes,  "What  A  Young  Boy  Ought  To 
know"  and  "What  A  Young  Man  Ought  To 
Know,"  and  awaited  with  confidence  the  judg- 
ment of  the  public  upon  them.  It  exceeded  his 
brightest  anticipations.  Eminent  philanthrop- 
ists, physicians,  scientists,  educators  and  cler- 
gymen were  quick  to  see  that  at  last  literature 
had  been  written  in  a  pure,  yet  scientific,  man- 
ner which  could  be  read  by  our  boys  and  young 
men  everywhere  without  the  slightest  hint  of 
impurity. 


SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS.  327 

Dr.  Stall  was  quick  to  recognize  the  leadings 
of  Providence,  and  resolved  to  consecrate  his 
entire  energies  and  thought  to  the  one  idea 
of  disseminating  literature  along  these  purity 
lines.  Then  followed  "What  A  Young  Hus- 
band Ought  To  Know,"  written  in  that  lan- 
guage which  only  a  pure  heart  and  brain  could 
conceive.  Then,  when  he  reached  the  period  of 
middle  life,  he  found  that  men  of  forty-five 
were  as  ignorant  of  the  changes  through  which 
they  pass  as  the  boys  at  the  period  of  adoles- 
cence, and  there  was  a  fourth  book,  "What  A 
Man  of  Forty-five  Ought  to  Know." 

Dr.  Stall  has  always  believed  that  his  spec- 
ial work  was  for  men,  as  he  knew  he  could 
not  be  misunderstood  in  the  zeal  which  he  dis- 
played for  their  welfare,  although  he  was  not 
without  interest  in  girls  and  women.  He  felt 
that  they  also  should  have  literature  that 
would  instruct  purely  and  yet  surely  and  truly, 
and  he  seems  to  have  been  providentially  led 
to  secure  the  efficient  services  of  Mrs.  Mary 
Wood-Allen,  M.  D.,  and  Mrs.  Emma  F.  A. 
Drake,  M.  D.,  who  have  written  in  a  pure, 
chaste,  and  yet  informing  way  for  our  girls 
and  women  upon  things  that  they  also  should 

know. 

Such  in  brief  is  the  need  for  the  literature, 
and  the  reason  for  the  founder  engaging  in  the 
work.  Dr.  Stall  is  a  versatile  and  capable 
man,  and  many  avenues  offered  him  large  finan- 
cial gain,  but  he  turned  from  them  for  he  be- 
lieves with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  his  intense 
nature  that  God  had  called  him  to  this  purity 


328  SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS. 

work,  and  like  the  great  Apostle  to  the  Gen- 
tiles, he  resolved  to  do  the  one  thing  that  his 
Master  had  marked  out  for  him.  That  he  was 
right  in  his  purpose  he  now  has  many  tokens 
in  the  good  being  accomplished  by  his  books, 
for  young  men  and  older  men  released  from  the 
bondage  of  degrading  and  sinful  hal 
up  in  every  country  on  the  globe,  and  bear  him 
witness  in  messages  of  profound  gratitude. 

Something  of  the  far-reaching  influence  of 
this  "Self  and  SexM  Series  is  made  apparent 
by  the  fact  that  several  of  the  large  church 
missionary  societies  have,  at  their  own  ex- 
pense, had  one  or  more  of  these  books  tm 
lated  and  published  for  the  use  of  the  mis- 
sionaries in  their  work  in  different  portions  of 
Asia.  These  books  have  also  been  translated 
into  Swedish,  Dutch,  French,  German  and 
Spanish,  and  translations  are  under  way  in 
various  other  countries  of  the  world.  The 
English  and  American  edition  has  reached  a 
ulation  of  more  than  a  million  copies,  and 
the  books  in  English  are  sold  in  large  quanti- 
ties in  lands  as  remote  as  India,  China,  Ja- 
pan, South  Africa,  Australia,  New  Zealand. 

The  religious,  secular,  medical  and  educa- 
tional periodicals  have  been  united  in  hearti- 
est commendations  and  in  ten  years  the  results 
have  been  so  far-reaching  as  to  surpass  even 
the  most  sanguine  expectations  that  could  pos- 
sibly have  been  entertained  by  their  author 
when  the  work  was  commenced.  So  impor- 
tant have  the  messages  in  these  books  been 
deemed  by  the  United  States  Government  that 


SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS.  329 

copies  appropriate  to  the  conditions  of  the 
"men  behind  the  guns"  have  been  placed  in 
the  libraries  of  every  war  vessel  in  the  Navy 
for  the  use  of  its  officers  and  men.  Dr.  Stall 
is  verily  a  man  with  a  message  to  his  day  and 
generation,  the  far-reaching  issues  of  which 
may  never  be  fully  estimated. 


330  SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS. 


MRS.   MARY   WOOD-ALLEN,   M.   D.,   AND 
HER  MESSAGE   TO   GIRLS. 

By  L.  M.  Cross. 

(i.~>l.  Dr.  Stall  seems  to  have  Wn  divinely 
guided  in  his  selection  of  his  associate  au- 
thors to  write  the  books  for  girls  and  women. 
Mrs.  Mary  Wood-Allen,  the  author  of  "What 
A  Young  Girl  Ought  To  Know"  and  "'What 
A  Young  Woman  Ought  To  Know"  in  the 
Self  and  Sex  Series,  is  known  throughout  tho 
civilized  world.  Her  winsome  and  splendid 
personality,  her  prominence  as  a  Icrtiuvr  and 
author  have  made  a  name  for  her  that  will  long 
live  in  the  homes  and  hearts  of  mothers  every- 
where. She  has  an  exceptional  equipment 
her  work  along  the  lines  of  social  and  personal 
purity.  The  very  first  book  that  she  wrote  en- 
titled "The  Man  Wonderful  in  the  House 
Beautiful"  achieved  for  her  success  as  a  ch 
and  pure  writer.  Her  later  book  entitled 
"Marvels  of  Our  Bodily  Dwelling"  presented 
some  important  information  concerning  the 
human  body  most  informingly  and  impres- 
sively. Her  pamphlets  addressed  to  mothers, 
young  boys  and  young  women,  upon  purity 
subjects,  were  among  the  earliest  and  most 
successful  of  their  kind  published.  In  all  of 
her  writings  she  has  displayed  a  wonderful 
command  of  pure  and  refined  language. 

Dr.  Wood- Allen  is  a  prominent  leader  in  the 


SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS.  331 

work  of  personal  and  social  purity  both  in  this 
country  and  in  Europe.  She  was  intimately 
associated  with  Miss  Frances  E.  Willard  and 
for  many  years  was  the  National  and  Inter- 
national Superintendent  of  the  department  of 
personal  and  social  purity  in  the  Women's 
Christian  Temperance  Union.  The  W.  C.  T.  U. 
workers  everywhere  revere  and  honor  her  for 
her  works'  sake.  She  is  now  the  editor  of 
" American  Motherhood"  and  a  contributor  to 
the  Mothers'  Department  in  other  periodicals. 

Decidedly  the  most  important  and  effective 
work  of  her  life  was  accomplished  when  she 
wrote  "What  A  Young  Girl  Ought  To  Know." 
This  book  answers  every  intelligent  girl  the 
anxious  questions  that  she  is  sure  to  ask  as 
to  the  mystery  of  her  life.  It  tells  in  sweet 
and  most  tender  and  sacred  language  what 
every  girl  ought  to  know.  This  book  has  re- 
ceived the  commendations  of  the  most  emi- 
nent women  in  the  educational  and  philan- 
thropic work!.  Well-known  Christian  work- 
ers and  authors  like  Frances  E.  Willard,  Mrs. 
Alden  (Pansy),  Mrs.  E.  M.  Whittemore,  Har- 
riet Lincoln  Coolidge,  Mrs.  Francis  Sheldon 
Bolton  and  many  other  eminent  women  have 
been  enthusiastic  in  their  endorsements. 

Her  next  book  was  "What  a  Young  Woman 
Ought  To  Know."  In  this  book  Dr.  Wood- 
Allen  discusses  questions  every  one  of  which 
has  been  the  subject  of  a  query  propounded  by 
some  girl  otherwise  intelligent  and  well  in- 
formed. Mrs.  Wood-Allen  believes  it  will  be 
safer  for  the  girl  who  understands  her  own  na- 


332  SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS. 

ture  and  reverences  her  womanhood,  and  who 
realizes  her  responsibility  towards  the  human 
race  and  conducts  herself  in  accordance  with 
that  realization.  This  book,  like  the  book  to 
girls,  has  been  translated  into  many  of  the 
languages  of  Europe  and  Asia  and  is  in  the  li- 
brary of  many  thousands  of  Christian  homes 
throughout  the  English-speaking  world. 

Mrs.  Wood- Allen  is  widely  known  through- 
out the  United  States  and  England  as  a  lec- 
turer  upon  the  subje<  ng  to  all  depart- 

ments of  reform,  particularly  of  personal  and 
social  purity.  She  has  the  experience  which 
comes  from  a  large  medical  practice.  Being 
herself  a  mother  she  adds  to  her  knowledge  the 
human  sympathy  that  endears  her  girl  readers 
to  her  everywhere.  She  knows  how,  in  spot- 
less language,  to  convey  her  thought  so  as  to 
lift  the  whole  subject  of  purity  into  the  realm 
of  exalted  thinking. 

The  books  of  Dr.  Wood-Allen  have  safe- 
guarded from  impurity  of  thought  and  life 
many  a  girl  and  young  woman,  and  eternity 
alone  will  reveal  the  good  which  has  been  ac- 
complished through  her  most  excellent  books 
and  writings. 


SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS.  333 

MES.  EMMA  P.  A.  DRAKE,  M.  D.,  AND  HER 

MESSAGE  TO  WIVES  AND  WOMEN 

OF  MIDDLE  LIFE. 

By  L.  M.  Cross. 

652.  No  woman  could  have  had  a  better 
equipment  for  her  work  as  an  author  of  books 
on  sacred  subjects  to  women  than  Mrs.  Drake, 
of  whom  we  write  in  this  brief  sketch.  Edu- 
cated and  trained  as  a  physician,  experienced 
as  a  teacher  to  girls,  and  co-laborer  of  one  of 
the  most  useful  and  widely  known  Christian 
workers  in  the  world;  and  herself  a  sympa- 
thetic and  loving  wife  and  mother.  All  of  her 
natural  endowments  of  character  as  well  as  her 
mental,  moral  and  spiritual  training  pre-emi- 
nently fitted  Mrs.  Dr.  Emma  F.  Angell  Drake 
to  write  the  books  that  would  give  information 
purely,  informingly  and  sympathetically  to  the 
women  in  every  land. 

Dr.  Stall  had  already  secured  the  intelligent 
services  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Wood-Allen  to  write  the 
first  two  books  to  women  in  the  Self  and  Sex 
Series,  and  knowing  that  two  other  books  must 
follow  in  the  series,  one  to  wives  and  the  other 
to  women  approaching  the  age  of  forty-five, 
offered  a  prize  of  $1,000.00  for  the  best  manu- 
script written  to  young  wives.  He  realized 
that  the  writer  of  such  a  book  must  have  an 
unusual  endowment  along  very  many  lines  to 
successfully  perform  her  task.  A  number  of 


334  SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS. 

intelligent  women,  each  of  them  being  a  wife 
and  mother,  were  appointed  as  a  committee  to 
whom  all  manuscripts  submitted  were  refer- 
red. After  mature  deliberation  and  pain- 
ing work  the  Committee  unanimously  decided 
that  Mrs.  Dr.  Emma  F.  Angell  Drake  had  sub- 
mitted the  ideal  manuscript  and  was  there- 
fore entitled  to  the  $1,000.00  offered  by  Dr. 
Stall. 

Dr.  Drake  was  born  in  Angelville,  Clinton 
County,  New  York.  She  was  graduated  at 
Olivet  College,  Michigan.  After  spending  five 
years  in  High  School  teaching  she  pursued  a 
course  of  medical  studies,  graduating  from  the 
Boston  University  Medical  College.  She  was 
elected  principal  and  physician  of  Mr.  D.  L. 
Moody's  school  at  Northfield,  Maasachu.- 
At  the  end  of  a  year  of  service  in  this  insti- 
tution she  was  married  to  the  resident  pastor 
of  the  Congregational  Church,  Rev.  Ellis  K. 
Drake,  D.  D. 

Mrs.  Drake  is  a  practicing  physician  of  large 
experience  and  for  a  number  of  years  held  the 
professorship  of  Obstetrics  in  the  Denver 
Homoeopathic  College  and  Hospital,  which  po- 
sition she  was  finally  compelled  to  resign  on 
account  of  her  increased  professional  practice 
and  her  manifold  duties  as  the  wife  of  a  prom- 
inent minister. 

Mrs.  Drake  is  the  mother  of  three  children, 
a  daughter  and  two  sons.  She  has  written  a 
number  of  books  and  has  contributed  articles 
of  distinctive  merit  to  the  various  medical 
periodicals.  She  has  also  made  a  name  for 


SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS.  335 

herself  in  her  helpful  and  informing  contribu- 
tions to  the  press  on  personal  and  social  pur- 
ity. In  reform  and  ecclesiastical  circles  she 
has  been  honored  by  positions  of  large  respon- 
sibility, but  perhaps  in  nothing  has  she  so 
much  excelled  as  in  her  position  of  wife, 
mother,  minister's  helper  and  home-maker. 

In  her  book  to  young  wives  she  tries  to  im- 
press young  home-makers  with  the  importance 
of  the  position  they  have  assumed  to  fill,  while 
she  endeavors  to  inspire  them  with  the  highest 
purposes  in  fitting  themselves  for  it  worthily. 
She  believes  that  all  the  way  from  childhood 
onward  a  wise  mother  will  be  instilling  truths 
into  the  minds  of  her  daughters  that  will  be 
along  the  lines  of  preparation  for  motherhood. 
The  early  teaching  of  truth,  the  early  knowl- 
edge of  self  and  sex  relations,  the  right  esti- 
mate of  marriage,  all  these  lessons  are  pre- 
paring the  way  for  a  later  knowledge  that  pre- 
cedes motherhood.  "What  A  Young  Wife 
Ought  to  Know,"  like  the  other  volumes  in 
the  Self  and  Sex  Series,  has  been  translated 
into  various  languages  and  it  is  regarded  as 
the  very  best  book  of  general  counsel  to 
young  women  who  are  anxious  to  become 
model  wives  that  has  ever  been  published.  It 
lifts  wif ehood  and  motherhood  into  that  Divine 
light  from  which  God  viewed  it  when  He  cre- 
ated Eve  as  a  companion  and  help  meet  of 
Adam.  To  write  such  a  book  would  render 
any  woman  immortal.  One  of  the  most  promi- 
nent writers  in  America  urges  that  a  copy  of 
this  book  should  accompany  every  marriage 


336  SKETCHES  OF  AUTHORS. 

certificate.     Its  inspiring  information  will  do 
much  to  make  the  home  life  what  it  should  be. 

Dr.  Stall  realized  that  a  woman  who  could 
write  such  a  book  to  wives  was  just  the  one 
with  the  mature  experience  that  comes  from  a 
useful  and  thoughtful  life  to  write  the  book 
on  the  critical  period  in  a  woman's  life  at  the 
age  and  beyond  forty-five.  It  is  the  only  sep- 
arate book  that  has  ever  been  written  for 
women  for  this  period  which  is  usually  so 
much  dreaded  by  women.  "What  A  Woman 
of  Forty-five  Ought  to  Know,"  is  packed  with 
information  that  should  be  in  the  possess: 
of  every  wife  and  mother,  as  well  as  in  the 
hands  of  those  who  are  not  married.  Its  pe- 
rusal will  help  to  free  them  from  anxi 
worry  about  this  critical  period  of  their  lives. 
It  will  save  them  from  many  anxious  hours 
spent  in  worry  and  will  make  them  healt! 
purer  and  nobler  women  in  every  way. 

Mrs.  Drake  has  r< •<•» -in •<!  letters  from  wives 
and  mothers  the  world  over  commending  the 
splendid  work  that  she  performed  when  she 
wrote  these  two  wonderful  books,  "What  A 
Young  Wife  Ought  to  Know"  and  "What  A 
Woman  of  Forty-five  Ou.srht  to  Know."  The 
influence  of  their  Christian  author  will  never 
die.  These  books  will  live  for  centuries  to 
come,  preaching  their  helpful  and  sympathetic 
messages  to  the  wives  and  mothers  of  the  en- 
tire globe. 


PART  V 

PHYSICAL  CULTURE 
SUPPLEMENT 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


Physical   Culture 

653.  The  importance  of  physical  culture  can 
scarcely  be  overstated.  Not  only  health  but  suc- 
cess depends  upon  it.  The  canvasser  is  placed 
under  a  severe  mental  strain.  He  needs  the  best 
physical  equipment.  Five  or  ten  minutes  given 
daily  to  physical  culture  will  secure  the  result. 

The  canvasser  is  referred  to  Chapter  IV,  page 
35,  as  a  preliminary  to  what  follows. 

The  exercises  which  we  have  appended  have 
been  adopted  by  the  United  States  Government 
for  use  in  the  Navy  and  will  be  found  most  in- 
valuable as  a  system  of  physical  culture.  They 
can  be  used  in  one's  own  room  without  appara- 
tus, and  five  or  ten  minutes  devoted  to  these  ex- 
ercises morning,  or  evening,  or  both,  will  secure 
wonderful  results.  Some  persons  sleep  better 
after  exercising,  while  others  do  not  sleep  so 
well.  You  must  judge  for  yourself. 


PHYSICAL,  DRILL,. 


1.  POSITION. 

Heels  together,  toes  turned  out.  Hands 
by  the  sides,  palms  in.  Abdomen  in,  chest 
out.  Shoulders  back  and  down.  Head 
up,  chin  in.  (Fig.  i.) 


2.  SIDE  SWEEPS. 

i.  Slowly  inflate  the 
lungs  through  the  nose 
(keeping  the  mouth 
shut),  at  the  same  time 
raising  the  arms  in  side 
semicircles  to  vertical, 
and  emphasizing  the  out 
and  up  stretch.  At  ver- 
•  •  knuckles  should 
touch,  the  elbows  should 
be  straight ,  the  lower  arms  should  lightly 
press  the  ears.  The  lungs  should  be  full. 
(Fig.  a.) 

2.    Return   arms   through   side   semi-  I  / 

circles  to  skies,  slowly  exhaling. 

Take  seven  or  eight  seconds  for  each 
fipward  and  downward  sweep. 

Special  Aotion.-The  hundred  and 
more  muscles  concerned  in  deep  respira-  FIG.  2. 

tioti,  and  especially  the  muscles  of  the    "Sio« SWBBTB," 
side  walls  of  the  chest.  AT  VERTICAL. 


8.  FRONT  SWEEPS. 

1.  Hands  at  side,  back  of  hands  front. 
Inflate  the  lungs  slowly  through  the 
nose  (keeping  the  mouth  shut),  at  the 
same  time  raising^  the  arms  slowly, 
through  front  semicircles,  to  vertical. 
Emphasize   the   out    and   up   stretch. 
When  at  vertical  the  thumbs  should 
be    interlaced,    palms    front,    elbows 
straight,  and  lower  arms  brushing  the 
ears.  The  lungs  should  be  full.  (Fig.  3.) 

2.  Return  the  arms  through  front 
semicircles  to  sides,  and  past  as  far  as 
possible,  exhaling  slowly,  but  keeping, 
chest  out  and  chin  in. 

Take  seven  or  eight  seconds  for  each 
upward  and  downward  sweep. 

FIG.  3.  Special  Action.— The  muscles  con- 

" FRONT  SWEEPS,"    cerned  in  deep  respiration,  and  espe- 
AT  VERTICAL.        cially  the  front  walls  of  the  chest. 


4.  FINGERS. 


FIG.  4. 

«'  FlNGBRS," 

FIRST 
POSITION. 


.  FIG.  5. 
"  FINGERS,"  SECOND  POSITION. 


1.  Hands  at  sides.    Throw  the  fingers  wide  apart  and 
backward  energetically.     Close  them  lightly.     Perform 
movement  twice.    Emphasize  odd  counts.    (Fig.  4.) 

2.  Raise  the  arms  to  side  horizontals,  elbows  straight. 
Perform  movement  twice.    (Fig.  5.) 


3.  Bring  the  arms 
to  front  horizontals, 
elbows  straight. 
Perform      movement 
twice.    (Fig.  6.) 

4.  Raise  the  arms 
to    vertical,    elbows 
straight.         Perform 
movement         twice. 
(Fig.  70 


FIG.  6.  Special  Action.-      „  J*G'?'  » 

'FINGERS/' THIRD     Tfae   musdes  of  the        Jg££ 

(Side  view!)          fingers  and  forearms.       POSITION. 


»  WRISTS. 


FIG.  8. 

"  WRISTS," 

FIRST  POSITION. 

(Side  view 

to  show 
movement.) 


I.  Hands  at  vertical  (where  the  last 
exercise  left  them).  Keep  fingers  and 
elbows  straight.  Bend  hands  backward 
as  far  as  possible;  then  forward.  Per- 
form movement  twice.  (Fig.  8.) 


a.  Let  arms  fall 
to  front  horizontals, 
elbows  straight. 
Perform  movement 
twice.  (Fig.  9.) 


FIG.  9. 
SECOND  POSITION. 


3.  Swing  arms  to  side  hori- 
zontals, elbows  straight.  Per- 
form movement  twice.  (Fig.  10.) 


FIG.  xo. 

'•WRISTS/' 

THIRD  POSITION. 


4.    Drop    arms   to   sides,  elbows 
straight.    Perform  movement  twice. 
(Fig.  11.) 


FIG.  ii. 

"WRISTS," 

FOURTH  POSITION. 

(Side  view.) 


Special  Action.— The  muscles  of  the  wrists  and  forearms. 


6.  ARMS. 

i.  Hands  at  the  sides.  Close  hands 
tightly.  Bring  forearms  strongly  up  in 
front  to  face  of  shoulders,  keeping  elbows 
stationary  at  sides.  (Fig.  12.) 


2.  Thrust  the  fists 
strongly  down  past  the 
sides  as  far  as  possi- 
ble, twisting  the  arms. 
Throw  the  chest  out, 
and  keep  the  head  back 
and  chin  in.  (Fig.  13.) 


FIG.  T2. 

"  ARMS," 

END  OF  FIRST 

COUNT. 


Special  Action.— The  principal  mus- 
cles of  the  arms ;  also  those  of  the  chest 


FIG.  13. 
END  OF"  SECOND    and  back  of  the  neck. 

COUNT. 
(Side  view.) 


7.  ABM  CIRCLE. 


1.  Hands  at  sides,  palms  back.    Sweep 
the  arms  up  diagonally  and  circle  back- 
ward to  as  far  past  the  side  horizontals 
as  possible,  twisting  the  palms  upward 
and  bending  the  thumbs  down.    Throw 
chest  well  out,  and  keep  head  back  and 
chin  in.  Emphasize  this  count.  (Fig.  14.) 

2.  Drop  arms  to  sides. 


Special  Action.-The  rotary  muscles 
of  the  arms  and  shoulders. 


FIG.  14. 
"ARM  CIRCLE," 

END  OP 

FIRST  COUNT. 

(Side  view.) 


8.  SHOTT^DTCRS. 


1.  Raise  shoulders  a 
little.  Roll  them  strong- 
ly as  far  back  and  down 
as  possible,  keeping  el- 
bows straight  and  act- 
ing   as    if    carrying    a 
heavy  weight   in  each 
hand.    (Fig.  15.) 

2.  Let  shoulders  drop 
forward  easily.     (Fig. 
16.) 


Fio.  15. 

*  SHOULDKKS," 

!>  or 
FIRST  Cowr. 

(Side  view.) 


Special  Action. — 
Back  muscles  of  the 
shoulder,  and  those  of 
the  back. 


..  16. 
" SHOULBRRS/ 


FKJ.  17. 

"  NHCK." 

END  OP  FIRST 

COUNT. 
(Side  view.) 


9.  NECK. 

i.     Drop    head    for- 
ward.  Interlace  fingers 

at  the  back  of  the  head, 
elbows  parallel  in  front. 
Push  the  head  back, 
resisting  the  movement 
by  pulling  hard  with 
the  hands.  Emphasize 
the  count.  (Fig.  17.) 


2.   Pull  the  head  for- 
rard.    (Fig.  18.) 


(When  through, 
Hands  at  Sides.) 


FIG.  18. 

"NRCK," 

END  ov  SBCOND 
COUNT. 


10.  TOES. 

x.  Rise  slowly  and  as  high  as  possible  on 
toes,  body  erect.  (Fig.  19.) 

2.  Back  to  "  Position." 

Command:  Toes,  Rise  Slowly— 1,2;  1,2, 
etc. 

Special  Action.— The  muscles  of  the  toes, 
of  the  bottom  of  the  feet,  of  the  ankles  and 
calves. 


11.  HEELS. 

i.  Rise  sharply  on  heels, 

keeping    the    body    erect. 

Keep  thighs  and  chest  well 
FIG.  19.       forward. 
RISING  ON       2.  Back  to  "  Position." 
TOES."  Special     Action.— The 

muscles  of  the  front  of  the 

lower  leg. 


12.  FEET. 

I    With   feet  together,  and   — r~-0 
knees  straight,  raise  the  toes  up,  and 
spread  feet  apart  toward  the  side  hori- 
zontals, pivoting  on  the  heels.    Empha- 
size this  count. 
2.  Back  easily  to  "  Position." 
Special  Action.— The  muscles  of  the 
upper  foot  and  back  of  hip. 


FIG.  20. 

"KNEK  STOOP," 

FIRST  COUNT. 

(Side  view.) 


FIG.  21. 
«'  KNEB  LIFT  " 

(side  view), 

FIRST  COUNT. 

At  count  the  knee 

should  touch  the 

chest. 


13.  KNEE  STOOP. 

I  Hands  on  hips,thumbsback,fingers 
forward,  elbows  bent.  Bend  knees  ob- 
liquely, and  let  the  body  go  down  slow- 
ly (rising  on  toes) ,  till  the  thighs  touch 
the  heels.  Keep  shoulders  and  head 
back  and  chin  in.  (Fig.  20.) 

2.  Return  slowly  to  "Position. 

Special  Action.— The  thigh  mus- 
cles and  the  joints  of  the  legs. 


14.  KNEE  IJEFT. 

i    Lift  right  knee,  striking  chest,  if 
possible.    (Fig.  2i.) 

2.  Back  to  "  Position. 

3.  Lift  left  knee,  striking  chest,  if 
possible. 

A    Back  to  "  Position. 
Special  Action.-Front  muscles  of 
the  thighs. 


IS.   THIGHS. 

1.  Rise  on  toes. 

2.  Back  to  "Position." 

3.  Jump,  separating  the  feet 
sideways  as  far  as  can  be  done 
without  straining  the  inside  of 
the  thighs,  at  the  same  time 
throwing  up  arms  sideways  to 
nearly  vertical.    (Fig.  22.) 

4.  Jump  back  to  "  Position." 
Special    Action.— The    in- 
side muscles  of  the  thighs  and 
the  calves. 


FIG.  22. 

»  or 
THIRD  COUNT. 


io.  sim:  vroop. 
i.  Hands  on  tops  of  shoulders,  elbows 
back.  Push  the  right  arm  to  a  vertical, 
at  the  same  time  bending  the  body  to 
the  left  and  touching  the  floor  at  the 
side  of  the  left  heel  with  the  left  hand. 
Keep  the  right  knee  stiff,  the  head  up 
and  the  eyes  directed  upward  to  the 
right  hand. 

Hack  to  "  Position,"  tops  of  shoul- 
ders. 

3.  Push  the  left  arm  up  to  the  verti- 
cal, bend  to  right,  and  touch  the  floor 
beside  the  right  heel  with  the  right 
hand,  turning  the  eyes  upward.    (Fig.  23.) 
4.  Back  to  "  Position,"  hands  at  sides. 
(When  through,  Hands  at  Sides.) 

Special  Action.— The  side  muscles  of  the  body;  the 
movement  has  also  a  healthful  effect  upon  the  liver. 

17.  STATIONARY  WALK  (OR  RUN). 

Keep  the  thighs  perpendicular  and  the  knees  well  back. 
Try  to  strike  the  back  of  the  thigh  with  the  heel  each  time 
the  foot  is  raised.  The  exercise  may  be  done  either  as  a 
run  or  as  a  walk. 

Special  Action.— The  back  muscles  of  the  thighs  and 
the  respiratory  muscles. 


Fie.  a3. 
•'Sine  STOOP," 

END  OP 
THIRD  COUNT. 


INDEX. 


347 


INDEX 


The  figures  in  the  following  index  refer  not  to  the 
page,  but  to  the  paragraph,  unless  otherwise  desig- 
nated. The  paragraphs  in  the  book  begin  with  401. 

As  the  paragraphs  in  booklets  No.  1  and  No.  2 
have  not  been  numbered,  the  contents  of  these  two 
pamphlets  are  referred  to  by  pages.  For  example : — 
B.  2,  p.  28,  refers  to  booklet  No.  2,  page  28. 


About  definite  dates,  561. 

Adaptability,    479,   595. 

Addresses,  getting  from 
friends,  430. 

Advantages  of  canvassing, 
B.  2,  p.  36. 

Afford,  can't,  502. 

A  final  "no",  485. 

Agents,  too  many  about, 
509. 

Agents,  opposed  to  buy- 
ing from,  508. 

Alphabetical  index,  ex- 
planation of,  page  13. 

Announcement  in  papers, 
434. 

Announcement  in  the  pul- 
pit, 433. 

Appeal,  one  method  of, 
487. 

Appealing  to  customer, 
487. 

Appealing  to  parents, 
577. 

Appealing  to  philan- 
thropy, 575. 

Appearance,  personal, 
447 

Appro'ach,  455,  461,  462, 
600,  614. 

Asking  questions,  486, 
597. 

Attending  church  ser- 
vices, 430,  636. 

Attention  to  business,  453. 

Attention,  undivided,  4bb. 


|    Attitude,  mental,  554. 
Of  pastors,  B.  2,  p.  13, 

630,  633,  635. 
Authors   how  to  use  por- 
traits  and   names,   615, 
619,  633,  626,  627. 
Sketch    of    Mrs.    Emma 

P.   A.    Drake,    M.   D., 

652. 
Sketch  of  Sylvanua 

Stall,   D.   D.,   650. 
Sketch     of    Mrs.     Mary 

Wood-Allen,      M.    D., 

651. 
A  welcome,  Page  16. 

B 

Bad  habits,  586. 
Be    an    optimist,    450. 
Bearing,   personal,   555. 
Begin      with      prominent 

names,  436. 
Beginning  right,  446. 
Beginning  the  work — 

Beginning  right,  446. 

Personal        appearance, 
447. 

Looking   inward,    448. 

Faith  in  yourself,   449. 

Be  an  optimist,   450. 

Speak  the  truth,  451. 

Value  of  patience,  452. 

Attending    to    business, 
453. 

The  work,   454. 

How    to    carry     books, 
455. 


348 


How    to    handle    books, 

456. 

Working  the  book,  457. 
Canvassers         formula, 

458. 
Practicing  the  canvass, 

459. 
Be  in  earnest    416. 

tient,  452. 
Blues,    saving    from.    422, 

428. 

Be  systematic,  671.  691. 
Beverldge,        Senator,      a 
canvasser,   B.   2,   p.   22. 
of  lading.  644,  546, 

r.4G. 

Boarding  place,  425,  426. 
Books— 

Boxing     and     dray  age, 

C.  O.  D.  shipments,  638. 

Commendations  of,  B. 
1.  p.  12  to  16. 

Consignments  to  an- 
other, 646. 

Content*  of,  D.    1. 

Delayed  shipments,  540. 

Delivering  different 
from  canvassing, 

MI, 

Deserve  success,   405. 

Express  shipments,  537. 

Foreign  translations, 
496.  606.  650. 

Freight  shipments,  539. 

Handling  the,  456. 

How  to  carry,  455. 

How  to  send  money  for, 
643. 

Keeping  in  good  condi- 
tion, 580. 

Length  of  credit,  550. 

Mail,  sending  by,  536. 

Modes  of  shipment,  535. 

Ordering  without 
money,  545. 

Orders  for  miscellane- 
ous books,  531. 

Our  credit  plan,  648. 

Paying  cash  for,  547. 

Price  of,   581. 

Reading  them,  418. 

Realizing  merits  of, 
410. 

Successful  delivery, 
553. 

Waiting  for,  542. 


When  written,   B.   2,   p. 

5. 

Which   to  present,   465. 
Why    best    subscription, 

-',   p.   13. 

Why  not  printed  cheap- 
>rm.   523. 

157. 
Borrowing     money,      545, 

546,  547. 

Boys,  letters  from,  en- 
dorsing books,  B.  1,  p. 
25  to  29. 

Letters  showing  parents 
neglect.  B.  1,  p.  21 
to  25. 

Boxing  and  drayage,  541. 
Business,   attend   to  your, 

3*. 

Doing  strictly  cash, 
662, 

Worth      preparing    for, 

407. 

Busy  persons,  463,  591, 
631.  B.  2. 


Canvass — 

Adaptation,   595. 
Do  not  do  too  fast,  572. 
En  listing  others,  579. 
For    Young    Boy,    600, 

603,    605.    606,    607, 

615. 
For    Young    Man,    608, 

616. 
For     Young     Husband, 

609.  611.  612,  617. 
For   Man   of  Forty-five, 

613.  618. 

For  Young  Girl,  623. 
For       Young       Woman, 

624,  626. 
For    Young    Wife,    625, 

627. 

For    Woman   of   Forty- 
five,  628. 
For     entire      set,     610, 

611,    612,    614,    619. 

620,   621    G22. 
Making  effective,   594. 
Modification  of,   592. 
Salutation,   596. 
Necessity    of    studying, 

418,   409. 
Practicing,  459. 


INDEX. 


349 


Physicians,  648. 
Value  of  questions,  597. 
Canvasser — 

Adapting  canvass,   595. 
A   dignified   occupation, 

B.  2,  p.  21. 
Afraid  to  talk,  473. 
Appeal  to  parents,  577. 
Appealing     to     philan- 
thropic, 575. 
Appealing      to      young 

people's          societies, 

576. 
Approaching  the  house, 

461. 

Ascertaining  why    fail- 
ure, 599. 

Asking  questions,  486. 
Attending    to    business, 

453. 

Be  systematic,  571. 
Beginning  right,  446. 
Books,    how    to     carry, 

455. 
Canvass       for       Young 

Boy,  600,  615. 
Canvass       for       Young 

Man,   608,  616. 
Canvass       for       Young 

Husband,     609,    611, 

612,  617. 
Canvass     for     Man    of 

Forty-five,  613,  618. 
Canvass       for       Young 

Girl,  623. 
Canvass       for       Young 

Woman,  624,  626. 
Canvass       for       Young 

Wife,  625,  627. 
Canvass  for  Woman  of 

Forty-five,   628. 
Canvass  for  entire  set, 

610    to    614,    619    to 

622. 
Canvassing     foreigners, 

583. 
Canvassing    physicians, 

647  to  649. 
Canvassing        teachers, 

639  to  646. 
Carefulness,  532. 
Cash  business,   562. 
Church,    443. 
Class    canvassing,    590, 

629. 
Colleges     and     schools, 

441. 


Commending         people, 

Commission  paid,  B.  2, 
p.  24. 

Conditional  orders,  488. 

Conscientious  work, 
567. 

Contents  of  books,  B.  1. 

Critical   moment,    483. 

Deciding  for  persons, 
499. 

Defeating   desire,   476. 

Delivery,  being  insist- 
ent, 557. 

Do    not    canvass    fast, 

Do  thorough  work,  573. 
Doing  best  work,  418. 
Encouraging          others, 

585. 
Enlisting  in  work,  B.  2, 

p.    38. 

Enlisting   others,    579. 
Entering     upon       field, 

430. 

Evasive    promises,    490. 
Everlastingly  at  it,  570. 
Expect   objections,    496. 
Faith  in  self,  449. 
Filling  orders,    533. 
Final  "no",  485. 
Fixing  date  of  delivery,. 

491,   561. 
Formulas,      canvassers, 

458,  592  to  628. 
General  principles,  591. 
Getting  others  to  work, 

578. 
Getting      started,      468, 

469. 
Great    men    who    were, 

B.  2,  p.  21. 
Habits,  bad,  586. 
Handling  books,  456. 
His      boarding       place, 

425. 

His  evenings,   427. 
His  food,  424. 
His  formulas.  458. 
His   physical   condition, 

421. 

His  room,  426. 
His  weariness  and  dis- 
couragement,   428. 
Homes  to  enter,  404. 
Honest  eye,  464. 
How  to  do,  481. 


350 


INDEX. 


SUCCeed» 


How  to  work,  419 
In  colleges  and  school 

B.  2,  p.  31. 
In  earnest,   416. 
Important  helps,  482 
Inexperienced,   P.   15 
Influencing   all    classe 
*7e. 

'ructions,   402. 
view    with    minis 
rs,  630  to  638. 
Introduction  cards,  442 

Ke 


Kind  of  men  wanted,  I 

Knowing  customer,  *46C 
Laying  out  work,  565 
Location  of  territory 

B.  2,   p.   29. 
Looking  inward,  448. 
Lu-ensi-s.    r>ss. 

l,   656 


bi,   49, 
Meeting  objections,  497 
479°*  People  on  level, 

Mental      attitude,    414, 
554. 

Peal.   487. 
°f  canvass. 
M<W.      should      have, 

4oU. 

Needs  of  poor,  475. 

474Weary'    no    hurry. 
°Pji_IJist  not  pessimist, 

450. 

Other  suggestions,   638 
Outfit,  price  of.  B.  2,  p. 
25. 

P6447na!        appearance, 

Personal  bearing  in  de- 

livery,  555. 
Personal        correspond- 

ence, 420. 


Persons      ignorant      of 

books,  471. 

People   in   groups,    472. 
Persuading  leaders 

to  /. 

Physical  culture  sup- 
plement, 339  to  346 

Physical  culture,  566.' 
459  g  canvass, 

Price   of   books,    581. 
Proceed  orderly,  480. 
Rainy  days,   569. 
Recanvassing          same 

territory    589. 
Reminding    of    legalitv 

of  order,   558 
112  ' 

Reserve  power,  484. 
Salutation,  462,  596 
Sample  of  letters  from 

B£  3  '   B.   2,   p.   15  to 

Securing  names  from 
neighbor,  582 

Securing  attention,  466. 

Securing  pastors'  com- 
mendations, 

Securing  prominent 

names,  ; 

Securing  Sunday  School 
workers,  637. 

Seeing     busy    'persons, 

463. 

Self  depreciation,  477. 


. 

Speaking  truth,  451. 
Studying  people,  467. 
Subscription  list,  489 
Successful  delivery, 

553. 


2°f'p.V'  "' 
,  B.  2,  p.  28. 
The  three  steps,  459  A. 
The  auspicious  moment 

470. 
Transcribing     subscrip- 

tions,  493 
Time  required  in  deliv- 

ery, 564. 

That  tired  feeling,  568. 
Using  testimonials,  438 


INDEX. 


351 


Using      order      blanks, 

534. 

Value  of  patience,  452. 
Value  of  questions,  597. 
Voice,  454. 

Watch  your  habits,  586. 
Weekly  report  card, 

494. 

What  are  doing,  B.  3. 
What  is  thorough  work, 

574. 
What   should   know,   B. 

2. 
What    they    are    doing, 

B.  2,  p.   15  to  19. 
When    customer    hasn't 

money,  559. 
Which  book  to  present. 

465. 
Who    and   where    from, 

B.   2,  p.   11. 
Why  fail,   403,  406. 
Why    succeed,    404.     B. 

2,  p.  32. 
Working      home      field, 

440. 
Working      the      books, 

457. 

Write   for  help,   584. 
Your  company,  587. 
Canvassing — 

Advantages  of,  B.  2,  p. 

36. 

Different  from,  552. 
Editor    of    Success    on, 

B.   2,  p.   23. 
Equips    men,    B.    2,    p. 

22. 
Existing          conditions, 

642. 

Foreigners,  583. 
Class,   435,   590,  629. 
Colleges     and     schools, 

441. 
Commendation  of  books, 

B.   1,  p.   12  to  15. 
Congregation,   443. 
Contents  of  books,  B.  1. 
Home   field,    440. 
People  in  groups,  472. 
Physicians,  647  to  649. 
Sketches      of      authors, 

650  to  652. 

Some     general     princi- 
ples,  591. 

Teachers,  639  to  646. 
Township,   439. 


When    entering     upon, 

417. 
Cards       of      introduction, 

442. 

Cards,  weekly  report,  494. 
Carefulness,  532. 
Cases,  insistent,  557. 
Cash  system,   547. 
Choice  of  field,  429. 
Church  canvassing,   443. 
Class      canvassing,      435, 

629   to  649. 
Class  canvassing — 
What  it  is,   629. 
Ministers'  attitude,  630, 

633. 

Proceed  orderly,  631. 
Ministers,  when  to  can- 
vass,   632. 
Ministers,    interviewing, 

634. 
Ministers,       will      they 

help,  635. 
Thanking         ministers, 

636. 
Sunday  School  workers, 

637. 

Other  suggestions,   638. 
Canvassing        teachers, 

639  to  646. 
Startling      testimonials, 

640. 
Discovering    conditions, 

641. 
Conditions          existing, 

642. 
Teachers'          influence, 

643. 

Reaching  the  boy,  644. 
Educators      using      the 

books,    645. 

Commendations  of  edu- 
cators, 646. 
Canvassing    physicians, 

647  to  649. 

Physicians  are  interest- 
ed, 647. 
Physicians,         canvass, 

648. 

What   medical    authori- 
ties  say,   649. 
Classes,     influencing    all, 

478. 

C.  O.  D.  shipments,  538. 
Colleges,  canvassing,  441. 
Commendation,  598. 


352 


INDEX. 


Commendations,    eminent, 

B.   2,   p.   8  to  10. 
Letters     from     eminent 
people,  B.  1,  p.  12  to 
15. 

Letters   of,    430. 
Securing  from  the  pas- 

432. 

Use  of,    438. 
Using  teachers,  646. 
Commissions.   B.  2,  p.  24. 
Company,   your,   587. 
Conditional   orders,  488. 
Conscientious  work,  667. 
Consignments   to  another, 

546. 
Creating  the    desire.    470 

to  482. 

Creating  the  desire — 
The  auspicious  moment, 

470. 
People  Ignorant  of  the 

books,    471 
Canvassing     people     in 

groups,  472. 
Don't  be  afraid  to  talk, 

473. 
Neither       weary       nor 

hurry.    474. 
The  needs  of  the  poor, 

475. 

Defeating  desire,  476. 
Self  depreciation.  477. 
Influencing  all  classes, 

478. 
Meeting  people  on  their 

479. 

Proceed    orderly,    480. 
How    to   do    it,    481. 
Important   helps,    482. 
Credit  and  failure.  551. 
Length   of,   550. 
Plan,   548. 

Critical  moment,   483. 
Cross,    L.    M.      Sketch    of 
Mrs.    Dr.   Drake.   652. 
Sketch      of      Mrs.      Dr. 

Wood-Allen,    651. 
Sketch  of  Dr.  Sylvanus 

Stall,   650. 

Culture,    physical    supple- 
ment, 339  to  346. 
Customer,    knowing   your, 
460. 


Dates,  about  definite,  561. 

Of  delivery,  560. 
Delivery,  491.  552  to  565. 

Fixing    date    of,    491. 

Different  from  canvass- 
ing, 552. 

Successful          delivery. 

553. 
Mental   attitude,  554. 

The   two   levels,   556. 
Insistent   cases,    557. 
Legally  bound,   558. 
Where  the  money  is  not 

in   hand,   559. 
Dates  of  delivery.   660. 
About      definite      dates, 

561. 
Do  a  strictly  cash  I 

ness,  662. 
Postal      card      notices, 

563. 
Time    required    to    de- 

564. 

Lay  out  your  work 
from  the  beginning. 
565. 

Days,   rainy,   669. 
Defeating  desire,   476. 
Delayed  shipments, 

540. 

Depreciation,   self.   477. 
Deserve  success.   405. 
Determination,   413. 
Determine       to       succeed, 

415. 

Different     from     canvass- 
ing,  552. 

Discouragement,  413,  42S. 
Do  a  cash  business,  562. 
Do  not  be  afraid  to  talk, 

473. 
Do    not    be    discouraged, 

413. 
Do      not       canvass       too 

fast,  572. 

Do  thorough  work,  573. 
Drake,    Mrs.    Dr.,    sketch 

of,  652. 
Drayage  and  boxing,  541. 


INDEX. 


353 


E 


Earnest,   be   intensely   in, 

416. 

Encouragement,    585. 
Enlisting   in   work,   B.   2, 

p.   38. 

Enlisting  others    579. 
Entering  the  field,  431. 
Enthusiasm,   419. 
Essentials,  the  great,  419. 
Evenings,    importance    of, 

599. 

Evasive   promises,    490. 
Everlastingly    at    it,    570. 
Experience,       411,       413, 

415,   419. 

Expect  objections,   496. 
Express,  shipping  by,  537. 
Eye,  the  honest,  464. 


Fail,      why      canvassers, 

403. 
Failure,  ascertaining  why, 

599. 

Causing,    429. 

And  credit,   551. 
Failures,    Pages    14    and 

15. 

Fault  in  self,  449. 
Fathers,    letters   from,    B. 

1,  p.   16  to  19. 
Feeling,  that  tired,  568. 
Foreigners,        canvassing, 

583. 

Foreign  lands,  B.  2,  p.  7. 
Foreign  translators,  495. 
Figures    that    talk,    B.    2, 

p.    15    to    19. 
Filling  orders,   533. 
Fixing    date    of    delivery, 

491. 

Foods,   424. 
Formulas,         canvassers', 

458. 

Canvass  Boy,  600  to 
607,  615. 

Canvass  Man,  608,  616. 

Canvass  Husband,  609, 
611,  612,  617. 

Canvass  Man  of  Forty- 
five,  613,  618. 

Canvass  for  entire  set, 
611,  612,  614,  619, 
620  622. 


Canvass  Girl,  623. 
Canvass    Woman,    624 

625. 

Canvass  Wife,  625,  627. 
Canvass      Woman      of 

Forty-five,   628. 
Form   of   surety,    549. 
Freight    shipments,    539. 


Get  others  to  work,   579. 

Getting  started,  468, 
469. 

Gleaned  from  the  mails, 
B.  1. 

Great  men  as  canvassers, 
B.  2,  p.  21. 

Groups,  canvassing  peo- 
ple in,  472. 

Guarantee  order  book, 
486,  492. 

H 

Habits,   watch  your,   586. 

Handling  the  books,  456, 
457,  615. 

Handling  large  orders 
with  small  capital,  544. 

Have  faith  in  yourself, 
449. 

Helps  to  canvassers,  482. 

Help,  write  us   for,   584. 

Helping  the  publisher, 
585. 

Home  canvassing,  440. 

House,  approaching  the, 
461. 

House  to  house  canvass- 
ing, 435. 

How  much  time,   422. 

How  to  carry  books,  455. 

How  to  make  ready,   500. 

How  to  send  money,  543. 


Illustrations,    portrait    of 
Dr.   Stall,   frontispiece. 
Physical    culture,    Page 
339  to  347. 

Important    for     evenings, 
599. 

Important  general  sugges- 
tions,  566   to   591. 
Physical   culture,   566. 


354 


IXDEX. 


work, 


Conscientious 
66T. 

That  tired  feeling,  568. 

Rainy  days,  569. 

Everlastingly  at  it,  570. 

Be  systematic,  571. 

Do     not     canvass     too 
fast,   572. 

Do  thorough  work,  573. 

What  is  thorough  work, 
574. 

An  appeal  to  the  phil- 
anthropic,   575. 

Young    people's     socie- 
576. 

The   appeal   to  parents, 
677. 

Get     others     to     work, 
678. 

Enlisting  others  to  can- 
vass, 579. 

Keeping      samples      in 
good  condition,  580. 

The  price  of  our  books, 
581. 

The    people    next    door, 
r»H2. 

Canvassing,    foreigners 
583. 

Write  us  for  help,  584. 

Helping   publisher    and 
canvassers,  585. 

Watch       your       habits, 
586. 

Your  company,  587. 

Licenses,   588. 

Recanvassing  same  ter- 
ritory, 589. 

Class  canvassing.  590. 

Some    general      princi- 
ples, 591. 

Important   helps,   482. 
Increasing  an  order.  486, 

610. 

Increasing  sales  at  deliv- 
ery,  564. 
Influencing     all     classes, 

478. 

Insistent   cases,    557. 
Instructions,    canvassers', 

402. 

Should      be      mastered, 

411. 
Interviewing        ministers, 

630  to  633. 

The    attitude    of,     630, 
633. 


Proceed  orderly,  631. 

When  to  canvass,  632. 
Introduction.      cards      of, 

442. 
Inward,  looking,  448. 


Keep  up  your  study,  445. 

Keeping    books     in      good 
condition,  580. 

Keeping  in  touch  with  of- 
fice.  584. 

Kind    of    men    needed,    !'. 
2,    p.    18,    32. 

Know  wbat  you  are  talk- 
ing about, 

Know      your      customers. 
460. 

L 

Lay   out  your  work,   665. 

Laziness,   428. 

Leaders,    persuading     the, 

437. 

Legally  bound,   558. 
Length  of  c 

Lessons  on  success,  420. 
Letters  from  boys  on  par- 
ents'   neglect,    B.    1,    p. 
21   to  25. 

From     boys     endorsing? 
books.   B.   1,  p. 
29. 
Prom  canvassers,  B.  3  ; 

B.  2. 
From    eminent     people, 

B.  1.  p.    12  to  15. 
From    fathers,    B.    1,   p. 

16  to  19. 
From  mothers,   B.   1,  p. 

20. 
From   women,    B.    1,  p. 

30   to   32. 
Levels,  meeting  people  on 

their,   479. 

Levels,    the    two,    556. 
Licenses.    588. 
Looking  inward,  448. 


Mail,   shipping  by,   536. 

Making  canvass  effective, 
594. 

Making  subscription  bind- 
ing, 492. 


INDEX. 


355 


Man    of    Forty-five,    can- 
vass  for,   613,   618. 
Medical   authorities,   what 

they  say,   649. 
Meeting   objections,    497. 
Meeting    people    on    their 

level,  479. 
Men,     canvassing    equips, 

B.   2,  p.   22. 
Men,    kind   wanted,    B.    2, 

p.   23. 

Mental  attitude,  554,  414. 
Ministers,       attitude      of, 

630,   633. 

Interviewing,      630      to 
638. 

Thanking  them,   636. 

When  to  canvass,  632. 

Will  they  help?   635. 
Modes  of  shipment,   535. 
Modification,    592. 
Moment,     the     auspicious, 

470. 

The  critical,   483. 
Money,     handling      orders 

with  little,  544. 

How  to  send,  543. 

Ordering  books  without, 
545. 

When   customer     hasn't 

on  delivery,  559. 
Mothers,   letters   from,   B. 

1,   P.   20. 

N 

Names,  prominent,  begin- 
ning  with,    436. 
Securing,  601,  602,  582. 

Needs  of  the  poor,  475. 

Neglect  of  parents,  let- 
ters showing,  B.  1,  p. 
21  to  25. 

Neither  weary  nor  hurry, 
474. 

"No",  a  final.  485. 

Notices,  postal  card,   563. 


Objections,   496  to  531. 
Objections,    a    book    agent 

cheated  me,  510. 

Books     are     too    small, 
511. 

Can't   afford   it,    502. 


Can  get  books  in  li- 
brary, 504. 

Children  know  too 
much,  515. 

Deciding  for  persons, 
499. 

Expect,   506. 

Haven't  time  to  read, 
503. 

How  do  I  know  the 
book  will  foe  as  sam- 
ple, 524. 

I  am  opposed  to  buying 
from  agents,  508. 

I  can  borrow  m  y 
neighbor's  book,  528. 

I  can  buy  books  in  book 
store,  512. 

I  cannot  order  now, 
526. 

I  depend  on  school  for 
children's  education, 
517. 

I  don't  believe  in  cir- 
culating these  books, 
521. 

I  don't  believe  in  tell- 
ing children  such 
things,  513. 

I  don't  believe  in  these 
books,  522. 

I  don't  want  children 
to  know  such  things, 
514. 

I  got  along  without 
such  knowledge,  516. 

I  have  more  books  than 
I  can  read,  529. 

I  may  not  have  money 
when  books  are  deliv- 
ered, 525. 

I  must  see  my  hus- 
band, 507. 

I've  got  a  doctor's  book, 
505. 

I  warn  my  children, 
520. 

Making  ready   for,   500. 

May  take  a  book  later 
on,  527. 

Meeting,  497. 

My  child  is  only  a  year 
old,  519. 

My  child  Is  too  young, 
518. 

The  crops  are  a  failure, 
530. 


356 


INDEX. 


There  are  too  many 
book  agents,  609. 

They  want  them  Just 
the  same.  498. 

Times  are  hard,  501. 

We  have  similar  books, 
606. 

Why     not     In     cheaper 

form,  623. 
Occupation,      a     dignified 

one,  B.  2,  p.  21. 
Optimist,   canvasser   must 

be,  450. 
One    method    of    appeal. 

487. 

Order  blanks,   634. 
Ord»r,   close   the.   601. 
Orders,  conditional,   488. 
Orders,  filling,  533. 
Orders,    for  miscellaneous 

books,   r 
Orders,     handling     large, 

with  small  capital.  544. 
Ordering     books.    532     to 

651. 

Carefulness,  532. 

Filling  orders,   533. 

Order  blanks.  534. 

Modes  of  shipment  ,535. 

Shipping  by  mail,   536. 
Shipping       by       express, 

Kff. 

C.  O.  D.  shipments, 
538. 

By  freight,   539. 

Delayed  shipments. 

540. 

Boxing  and  drayage. 
641. 

While  waiting,  542. 

How  to  send  money, 
543. 

Handling  large  orders 
with  small  capital, 
544. 

Ordering  books  with- 
out money,  545. 

Consignments  to  an- 
other, 546. 

The   cash    system,    547. 

Our  credit  plan,  548. 

Form  of  surety,  549. 

Length  of  credit,   550. 

Credit  and  failure,  551. 
Orderly,   proceed,   480. 
Outfit,    price   of,    B.   2,   p. 

25. 


Parents,   appeal   to,   577. 
Letters  showing  respect 
of,  B.   1,  p.  21  to  25. 
Pastors,    aid   of,    B.    2,   p. 

Commendations        432. 

435. 

Patient  at  all  times.  452. 
People,     studying     before 

you   see   them,    467. 
Persons,  busy.  463. 
Personal  appearance,  447. 
Personal    bearing,    555. 
Persuading     the    leaders, 

Pessimist,  not  a,  450. 
Physical      culture,      421, 

iae. 

Supplement,    Page    339 
'47. 

Time  for,  422. 
Physical  preparation,  421 

to  428. 
Physical   preparation — 

Physical   culture.   421. 

How  much   time,   422. 

Results.   423. 

Boarding  place.   425. 
Your  room,  426. 
Your  evenings,   427. 
Weariness,    discourage- 
ment   and     despond- 
ency,  428. 

Physicians,         interested, 
647. 

The  canvass.  648. 
What   medical    authori- 
ties say,  649. 
Poor,  needs  of  the,   475. 
Postal    card    notices,    563. 
Power,  reserve,  484. 
Practicing   the   canvasses, 

459. 
Preparation,   407   to   413- 

417. 
Preparation — 

Is    the    business    worth 

preparing  for,  407. 
The      necessary      time, 

408. 

Realizing:    the    needs   of 
the  books,  409. 


INDEX. 


357 


Realizing  the  merits  of 
the  books,  410. 

Theory    versus    experi- 
ence, 411. 

Requisites     in    a    good 
canvasser,   412. 

Do  not  be  discouraged, 
413. 

Essential     to     success, 
412. 

Time    spent    in,    408. 

Use  of  testimonials  and 
list     of     subscribers, 
438. 
Preparation  of  the  mind, 

414  to  420. 
Preparation        of        the 

mind — 

Mental   attitude,   414. 

Determine    to    succeed, 
415. 

Be    intensely    In    earn- 
est, 416. 

Realize  your  obligation, 
417. 

Know     what     you     are 
talking  about,  418. 

The     great     essentials, 
419. 

Lessons  on    success    in 

life,   420. 
Preparing    to    enter     the 

field,  430. 

Price  of  our  books,  581. 
Principles,    some    general, 

Proceed  orderly,  631,  480. 
Profitable        employment, 

407. 

Promises,   evasive,   490. 
Publishing  company,  why 

name,  B.  2,  p.  10. 
Pulpit  announcement, 

Purpose,  our,  B.  2,  p.  27. 
Purpose     of     this     book, 
Page   13. 

Q 

Qualifications,   note   your, 

408. 
Questions,   asking,   486. 

Value   of,    597. 
Quotations,   Page  14. 

R 
Rainy  days,  569. 


Realize   your    obligations, 
417. 

Realizing    merits    of    the 
books,  410. 

Needs     of     the     books, 
409. 

Recanvassing  same  terri- 
tory, 589. 

Remittance,  form  of,  543. 

Reserve  power,  484. 

Results,   423. 

Requisites   of    good   can- 
vasser, 412. 

Right  beginning,   446. 


Salutation,  455,  461,  462, 

596,   600,   608. 
Sample   books,    580. 
Schools,    canvassing,    441, 

B.  2,  p.  31. 
Secretaries    of    Y.    M.    C. 

A.,  444. 
Securing    a    hearing,    459 

A  to  469. 
Securing  a  hearing — 

The  three  steps,  459  A. 

Knowing    your    custom- 
er,   460. 

Approaching  the  house, 
461. 

The  salutation,  462. 

Busy  persons,  463. 

The  honest  eye,   464. 

Which  book  to  present, 
465. 

Undivided         attention, 
466. 

Studying   people   before 
you  get  to  them,  467. 

Getting    started,    468. 

Getting   in   and   getting 

started,  469. 
Securing    co-operation     of 

others,   578. 

List    of    church    mem- 
bers,   443. 

Names     of      customers, 
460,   486. 

The     subscription,     483 

to  495. 

Securing     the     subscrip- 
tion—- 
The     critical      moment 
483. 

Reserve   power,    484. 


358 


INDEX. 


A  final  "no",  485. 
Asking    questions,    486. 
One  method  of    appeal, 

487. 

Conditional  orders,  488. 
Special          subscription 

list,    489. 

Evasive   promises,    490. 
Fixing  date  of  delivery, 

Making  the  transcription 
binding,   492. 

Transferring     subscrip- 
tions,  493. 

Weekly      report      card. 
494. 

Foreign        translations, 

495. 
Pelf -confidence,    449,   477. 

197,    556. 
:  preciatlon,  477. 
Shipments  C.   O.   D.,  538. 

Delayed,  540. 
ress,  537 
isht.  639. 

Mail,   536. 

Modes   of,   535. 
Sketches  of  authors,   650 

to  652. 

Sleep,   necessity  of.   428. 
Societies,    young   people's, 

574. 

Soiled  books,   455.  580. 
Some    general     price 

B91 
Spare  time,  427.  433,  434, 

542,    564, 
Speak    the    truth    at    all 

times,  451. 
Special    subscription    list, 

489. 

Started,    getting,    468. 
Stall,    Sylvanus.    B.   2,   p. 

4. 

Sketch  of,  650. 

Welcome     from,     Page 

17. 

Steps,  the  three,  459  A. 
Study,    necessity   of,    Page 

16,   402,   418,   419.  427, 

445,    481. 

Studying  people,  467. 
Subscribers,  using  list  of, 

438. 
Subscription,       making 

binding,  492. 


Subscription      list-special, 

489. 

Subscriptions,      transcrib- 
ing,   493. 
Subscription,         securing, 

418. 
Success,  401  to  405,  419, 

420,   448. 

Success,   assumed,   414. 
Determined,  415. 
Essentials   to,    B.    2,    p. 

25. 

How,  B.  2,  p.  1. 
In  delivering,  553. 
Persons    who,    B.    2,    p. 

19. 

Why     canvassers     meet 
with,    B.    2,    ps.    32. 
34. 
Success    and    failure,    401 

to    406. 

Success  and  failure — 
Success.  401. 
Canvassers'         instruc- 

402. 
Why    other    canvassers 

fall.    403. 
Why      our      canvassers 

succeed,  404. 
Deeerve   success,   405. 
Why    some    canvassers 

406. 
Sunday     school     worker*, 

637. 

Superintendent  Sunday 
School.  securing  his 
aid,  435. 

y.  form  of,  549,  430. 
Systematic,   be,   571,   591. 


Talk,  don't  be  afraid,  473. 
Teachers,  canvassing  them, 

639  to  646,  604. 

Securing  names  of,  435. 
Territory,   B.  2,  p.   28. 

Location    of,     B.    2.    p. 
29. 

Recanvassing          same, 

589. 
Testimonials,    preparation 

and  use  of,  438. 
Thanking      the     minister, 

636. 
The    auspicious    moment, 

470. 


INDEX. 


359 


The  field,  429  to  444. 
The  field- 
Choice   of   field,    429. 
Preparing       to        enter 

field,    430. 

Entering  the  field,   431. 
Pastor's          commenda- 
tions,  432. 
Pulpit      announcement, 

433. 
Announcement    in      the 

papers,  434. 
Class  canvassing,  435. 
Begin    with    prominent 

names,  436. 
Persuading  the  leaders, 

437. 
Preparation  and  use  of 

testimonials,   438. 
Township       convassing, 

439. 
Canvassing  in  the  home 

field,  440. 
Canvassing  colleges  and 

schools,    141. 
Cards    of    introduction, 

442. 

Canvassing  a  congrega- 
tion,  443. 
Secretaries  of  Y.  M.  C. 

A.,    444. 
Keep    up     your     study, 

445. 

The  foreword,  Page  13. 
Theory  versus  experience, 

411. 

Three  steps,  the,  459  A. 
Time  necessary,  408,  564. 
Township  canvassing, 

439. 

Tired   feeling,    568. 
Training     of     canvassers, 
B.  2,  p.  27. 

Necessity  for,  Page  15. 
When      not      complete, 

411. 

Transcribing         subscrip- 
tions,   493. 
Translations,  foreign, 

495. 

Truth,  speaking,  451. 
Two   levels,    the,    556. 


Undivided    attention,    466. 
Unpaid  bills,  551. 


Using  commendations, 
608,  614,  615,  616,  617 
623,  624. 

Using  tables  of  contents, 
623. 

V 

Value  of  questions,   597. 

Vice  in  schools,  640,  642. 

V  i  r  Publishing  Com- 
pany— 

Purpose,  B.  2,  p.  27. 
Why    named,    B.    2,    p. 
10. 

Voice,  the,  454,  469. 

W 

Watch  your  habits,  586. 
Weariness,         discourage- 
ment, and  despondency. 

428. 
Weary,     neither,     nor 

hurry,   474. 

Weekly   report  card,    494. 
What    is     class    canvass- 
ing? 629. 
What   is    thorough    work? 

574. 
Which    book    to    present, 

465. 

While  waiting,   542. 
Woman    of     45,    canvass 

for,   628. 
Women,    letters    from,    B. 

1,   p.   30  to  32. 
Wood-Allen,     Mrs.     Mary, 

sketch  of,  651. 
Work,   conscientious,    567. 

Do  thorough,   428,   573. 

Get  others  to,   578. 

Preparation    for,    B.    2, 
P.   4. 

What  is  thorough,   574. 
Workers,    Sunday    School, 

securing,   637. 
"Working  the  book".  457. 
Write  us  for  help,  584. 


Young  Men's  Christian 
Association,  431,  435, 
444. 

Young  Boy  canvass,  600, 
603,  605.  606,  607,  615. 

Young  Girl   canvass,   623. 


SCO 


7.Y7)/:.V. 


Young  Husband  canvass, 

609,  611,  612,  617. 

Young  Man  canvass,  608, 
616. 

Young  people's  societies 
676. 


Young  Wife  canvass,  625, 

627. 
Young    Woman      can 

624,   626. 

Your  company,  587. 
Your  evenings.  427. 
Your  room,  426. 


SUPPLEMENT.  361 

SUPPLEMENT. 


653.  Acknowledgment. — The  points  discuss- 
ed in  the  following  pages  are  gleaned  from 
the  very  recent  experiences  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful canvassers  and  trainers  who  have  been 
associated  in  the  work  with  the  Self  and  Sex 
Series.    The  order  of  canvass,  which  is  given 
as  a  skeleton  about  which  to  build  a  successful 
selling  talk,  has  been  arranged  by  Mr.  A.  W. 
Swain.     The  various  suggestions  as  to  intro- 
ductions and  other  particular  methods  in  pre- 
senting the  books  are  either  the  individual  con- 
tributions  of  other  successful   solicitors   and 
trainers,  or  the  composite  result  of  different 
men's  work  and  ideas.    For  the  theory  of  pre- 
senting the  Series  of  eight  books  as  a  set  in- 
stead of  making  the  individual  book  the  unit 
in  the  selling  talk,  we  are  largely  indebted  to 
Mr.  S.  A.  Reeser.    For  the  elaboration  of  this 
idea,  and  other  and  telling  points  in  present- 
ing the  proposition,  we  are  indebted  to  many 
different  men  and  particularly  to  Messrs.  A. 
W.  Swain  and  Stanton  Pilcher. 

654.  Every  different  feature  of  preparation 
for  the  work  discussed  in  the  pages  of  this 
volume  should  be  thoroughly  absorbed  by  a 
careful    reading    and   re-reading,    and    by    a 
thorough  study  of  such  particular  passages  as 
may  be  emphasized  by  the  trainer,  or  empha- 
sized by  the  special  suggestive  questions  which 


302 


will  be  submitted  by  the  publishers  for  the  pur- 
pose of  enabling  the  solicitor  himself  to  test 
his  personal  knowledge  with  a  view  to  dis- 
covering his  equipment  for  the  work. 

Different    Opinions.  —  The    most     able 
solicitors  do  not  instance  agree  as  to 

the  best  method  of  salutation  Min- 

ing admittance   to    the    lmu-r.      I  .    all 

canvassers  do  not  thoroughly  agree  as  to 
whether  it  is  best  to  keep  the  canvasser's  case 
in  full  view  or  in  some  instances  at  least,  to 
keep  it  from  sight  until  you  are  making  your 
ditry  into  th<>  house.  This  disagreement  only 
proves  that  in  some  of  these  minor  details 
"cut  and  dried"  rule  can  be  applied  to  each 
i  every  individual.  We  will  state  here  tin* 
different  methods  which  are  used  successfully 
and  the  reasons  for  each,  and  the  canvasser 
can  either  select  one  method  or  more  as  may 
seem  best  adapted  to  him  personally  and  try 
out  different  methods  until  he  finds  which  one 
works  best  in  his  particular  case;  or  where 
he  is  under  the  direction  of  a  competent  trainer 
he  should  follow  the  advice  and  suggestions 
of  the  trainer  as  to  what  method  will  un- 
doubtedly work  best  for  him  personally. 

656.  The  Carrying  Case.  —  The  reasons  for 
keeping  the  case  out  of  sight,  either  holding 
it  in  your  hand  in  such  a  position  that  your 
body  will  be  between  the  case  and  the  per- 
son you  are  interviewing,  or  setting  it  down 
at  the  side  of  the  door  where  it  will  not  be  in 


SUPPLEMENT.  363 

plain  view,  are  that  the  fact  that  you  are 
carrying  a  case  may  give  the  impression  to  the 
person  you  are  interviewing  that  you  have 
something  to  sell,  and  thereby  give  rise  to 
questions  on  their  part  as  to  just  what  you  are 
doing,  and  what  you  are  there  for.  However, 
a  few  introductory  remarks,  well  made,  will 
usually  banish  such  questions  from  their  mind 
and  gain  for  you  admittance  at  once. 

The  reasons  for  keeping  your  case  in  full 
view,  are  that  it  gives  the  person  you  are  call- 
ing upon  a  strong  impression  of  frankness  on 
your  part  and  that  you  have  nothing  to  con- 
ceal, but  moreover,  are  proud  of  what  you  are 
doing. 

657.  Salutations. — The  following  are  some 
of  the  various  methods  of  salutation  used  by 
the  most  successful  men: 

1.  "Good  morning,  Mrs.  Jones,  may  I  speak 
with  you  a  moment?" — The  theory  of  this 
salutation  is  that  if  in  a  courteous  and  confi- 
dent manner  you  make  this  remark,  at  the 
same  time  removing  your  hat  and  stepping 
forward  as  though,  of  course,  they  would  in- 
vite you  in,  very  few  persons  will  refuse  you 
admittance,  and  you  can  then  proceed  with 
your  further  explanatory  remarks  that  will 
put  their  minds  at  rest  immediately  as  to  your 
mis-sion  in  calling  upon  them. 

2  "Good  morning,  Mrs.  Jones.  My  name 
is  Smith,  I  am  in  • —  i*  the  interests 


364  SUPPLEMENT. 

of  a  Purity  Campaign  in  which  the  pastors 
of  the  local  churches  are  taking  part,  and  with 
your  permission,  I  will  step  in  and  explain  it 
to  you." — The  theory  of  this  salutation  is  that 
in  a  brief  and  courteous  manner  you  explai?i 
to  the  person  that  you  are  there  on  a  mission 
for  which  you  confidently  expect  a  cordial  re- 
ception, and  at  the  same  time  you  do  not  ex- 
plain so  much  that  they  will  have  a  full  con- 
ception of  the  purpose  of  your  call  and  conse- 
quently, they  will  not  be  in  a  position  to  offer 
any  objection,  and  that  if  in  the  same  man- 
ner you  step  forward  confidently  after  remov- 
ing your  hat,  you  will  then  almost  in  every 
instance,  be  admitted  at  once. 

The  following  suggestive  salutations  can  also 
be  used  effectively  where  circumstances  will 
warrant : 

"I  am  doing  the  work  your  pastor  announc- 
ed from  the  pulpit." 

"I  have  a  letter  to  you  from  your  pastor 
and  with  your  permission,  will  just  step  in 
and  explain  regarding  it." 

658.  Order  of  Canvass. — In  presenting  any 
proposition  in  which  a  concrete  object,  that  is, 
in  which  a  number  of  closely  related  objects 
is  used,  it  is  usually  conceded  to  be  best  to 
precede  the  opening  of  your  canvasser's  case 
by  a  few  remarks,  which  are  ordinarily  known 
as  a  pre-canvass.  The  theory  of  the  canvass 
is  to  prepare  your  customer's  mind  to  receive 
the  presentation  which  you  are  about  to  make. 
A  few  remarks  well  directed  which  will  lead 


SUPPLEMENT.  365 

him  to  feel  that  he  would  like  to  know  some- 
thing about  the  particular  thing  which  will 
help  to  satisfy  a  need  which  he  has  already 
felt,  to  some  degree  at  least,  will  ordinarily  be 
of  great  value  to  the  solicitor  in  enabling  him 
to  make  the  strongest  appeal  with  his  demon- 
stration or  regular  canvass. 

In  some  instances,  circumstances  will  make 
it  necessary  for  the  canvasser  to  begin  at 
once  with  his  regular  demonstration,  without 
any  pre-canvass.  In  other  instances  where 
a  canvasser  is  ill  at  ease  because  unused  to 
the  work,  it  is  sometimes  better  to  direct  his 
customer's  mind  immediately  to  the  proposi- 
tion by  starting  directly  with  his  regular  can- 
vass, rather  than  to  keep  the  customer's  mind 
centered  upon  him  personally,  while  he  is 
making  his  pre-canvass. 

Remember,  that  the  pre-canvass  is  always 
best,  unless  you  are  unable,  either  by  reason 
of  the  particular  circumstances  or  through  lack 
of  experience,  to  use  an  easy,  forceful  man- 
ner when  giving  your  pre-canvass. 

659.     Pre-Canvass,  or  Introductory  Remarks. 

"Mrs.  Jones,  I  am  one  of  a  number  of  col- 
lege men  who  have  been  engaged  to  call  upon 
you  and  the  other  mothers  in  the  neighbor- 
hood to  explain  a  few  things  connected  with 
this  great  Purity  Campaign  which  has  been 
inaugurated  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  Hav- 
ing children,  Mrs.  Jones,  you  are  especially 
interested  in  the  subject  of  Purity,  because  a 
great  many  times  you  have  had  occasion  to 


366  SUPPLEMENT. 

warn  your  children  against  things  dealing  with 
impurity;  and  you  have  doubtless  been  in- 
terested in  noticing  how  widely  this  subject 
has  been  agitated.  Ministers  preach  frequent- 
ly about  it,  and  in  mother-'  dulx,  and  W.  C. 
T.  U.'s,  and  similar  organizations,  the  subject 
of  pure  teaching  is  one  of  the  leading  topics 
of  conversation.  Th»  **  Home  Journal 

BUM  been  devoting  a  great  deal  <>f  space  to  this 
subject  for  a  long  period.  These  articles  are 
for  the  purpose  of  awak-  >  there  to 

necessity  for  this  teaching,  but  .do  not  solve 
tin1  problem  of  what  words 
the  experience  of  those  who  are  devoting  their 
lives  to  Purity  work  in  general  that  the   ! 
means  of  helping  to  solve  this  problem  is  by 
this  series  of  books  which  have  been  written 
expressly  for  the  purpose." 

660.  Opening  Canvass. — "This  series  of 
books,  Mrs.  Jones,  are  the  famous  Purity 
Books  which  have  gladdened  the  hearts  of 
thousands  of  mothers  in  this  country  and  in 
many  others,  for  these  books,  as  you  may 
know,  are  translated  in  over  twenty  different 
languages  and  over  a  million  copies  in  the 
English  alone  have  been  sold.  You  will  no- 
tice, Mrs.  Jones,  that  they  follow  the  natural 
sequence  of  life  from  earliest  infancy  to  more 
advanced  age,  both  for  men  and  women.  The 
titles  are  'What  a  Young  Roy  Ought  to  Know,' 
'What  a  Young  Girl  Ought  to  Know/  etc. 
(There  is  a  great  deal  in  reading  the  titles. 
Where  there  is  a  boy  or  girl,  or  a  husband  and 


SUPPLEMENT.  367 

wife,  draw  out  the  two  companion  books.  For 
instance,  "Young  Husband "  and  "Young 
Wife";  "Boy"  and  "Girl";  "Man"  and 
Woman,"  etc.) 

661.  Skeleton  of  Canvass.— The  following 
seven  words,  remembered  in  their  order,  will 
afford  an  unfailing  guide  to  the  successive 
steps  of  the  complete  canvass: 

I.  Title.* 

II.  Portrait.t 

III.  Dedication^ 

IV.  Preface. 

V.  Commendations. 

VI.  Contents. 

VII.  Beferences.S 


"Taking  out  volumes  with  which  you  will  begin  your 
canvass  in  that  particular  case  and  depending  upon 
whether  there  may  be  both  boys  and  girls  in  the  family 
or  whether  there  are  only  boys  or  only  girls.  In  in- 
stances where  there  are  only  boys  or  both  boys  and 
girls,  it  is  well  to  begin  with  the  volumes  of  boys,  with 
the  following  remarks  : — "These  two  volumes  'What  a 
Young  Boy  Ought  to  Know'  and  'What  a  Young  Man 
Ought  to  Know',  are  written  to  help  mothers  in  solv- 
ing what  is  known  as  the  'boy  problem.'  It  is  merely 
how  to  teach  in  a  pure  way  what  every  boy,  sooner  or 
later,  will  learn  in  an  impure  way,  and  above  all,  to 
teach  it  first." 

flf  using  "Young  Boy"  book,  call  attention  to  the 
preface  of  "Young  Boy"  book,  page  32,  showing  why 
books  were  written.  It  is  also  well  to  mention  trans- 
lations. 

JShould  be  read  impressively  with  great  care  as  to 
the  expression  you  give  it. 

$The  following  are  specific  references  for  the  dif- 
ferent books  in  the  Series 


368  SUPPLEMENT. 

The  above  outline  is  intended  to  show  the 
canvasser  the  method  of  procedure  and  the 
logical  method  of  bringing  the  different  phases 
of  the  subject  before  the  mind  of  the  custo- 
mer. The  various  side  remarks  and  the  en- 
largement of  the  ideas  suggested,  taken  with 
the  skilful  weaving  together  of  r  I  to 

the  different  volumes  in  the  Series,  will  go  to 
make  up  a  complete  selling  talk  or  < 
The  elaborateness  of  the  canvass  will  depend 
a  great  deal  upon  your  experience  and  the 
wealth  of  ideas  you  can  accumulate  regarding 
the  proposition,  and  will  also  depend  upon  the 
particular  circumstances  under  which  you  are 
working  and  whether  you  have  an  opportunity 


"YouNO  BOY." — Pages  15.  17,  18.  23,  27.  29,  33. 
135  (chapter  on  Tobacco).  114.  121,  171,  182, 

"YouNO  MAN." — All  of  dedication,  Page  27  and 
on,  34  and  on,  59.  60,  98  and  on,  145,  205.  228,  251 
and  on,  etc. 

" YOUNO  HUSBAND." — Dedication,  52  and  on,  99 
and  on,  105  and  on,  275,  276,  278  to  284.  table  of  con- 
tents, etc. 

"MAN  or  45." — Table  of  contents  especially,  Pages 
5  to  7,  59  to  68.  93  to  106,  175  to  189,  and  other 
references  to  fit  the  occasion. 

"YOUNG  GIRL."— 17,  19,  20,  23,  27,  63,  165.  168, 
169,  etc. 

" YOUNG  WOMAN." — Pages  15  to  17  (preface),  call 
special  emphasis  to  dedication,  107,  108,  151,  161-162, 
163-168,  167,  169,  206.  207,  209,  238,  247,  255,  etc. 

"YOUNG  WIFE." — Emphasize  contents  and  thousand 
dollar  prize  offer,   Pages  21  and  on,   31,  32,   237-1 
248,  etc. 

"WOMAN  OF  45." — Emphasize  table  of  contents. 
Page  115  (one  of  the  best  selling  references  in  book) 
139,  59,  etc. 


SUPPLEMENT.  369 

to  make   your   canvass   elaborate   or   find   it 
necessary  to  do  so. 

The  printed  canvasses  furnished  illustrate 
the  best  known  methods  in  use  by  the  most 
successful  canvassers,  as  to  elaborating  the 
talks,  both  on  the  individual  books  and  on 
the  series  as  a  whole.  The  point  to  be  remem- 
bered especially  is  that  while  in  the  course  of 
your  canvass  you  must  give  expression  as  to 
the  merits  of  a  particular  volume  as  a  unit, 
yet  at  the  same  time  this  should  always  be 
shown  in  its  relation  to  the  other  books  of  the 
Series,  so  that  you  keep  the  whole  Series  as 
a  unit  before  the  mind  of  your  customer  until 
you  are  obliged  to  divide  it  through  failure  to 
secure  an  order  for  the  Series. 

662.  Boarding  Place. — Many  times  by  tact- 
ful inquiry,  you  may  be  able  to  secure  board 
and  room  with  a  family  which  does  not  ordi- 
narily keep  roomers  or  boarders   and   where 
you  will  have  the  benefits  of  a  home  and  its 
influence,  and  of  association  with  just  the  kind 
of  people  who  will  be  most  interested  in  your 
work  and  accordingly  of  special  inspiration  to 
you  in  your  canvass.    It  is  always  worth  while 
to  give  some  thoughtful  inquiry  to  this  plan, 
as  the  canvasser's  environment  has  much  to 
do  with  his  mental  attitude,  and  mental  atti- 
tude has  everything  to  do  with  making  the 
right  impression  upon  the  people  and  getting 
large  results. 

663.  Handing  Customer  Books. — With  the 


370  SUPPLEMENT. 

experienced  solicitor,  there  are  many  reasons 
why  it  is  dangerous  to  hand  the  customers  the 
books  for  personal  examination.  The  persons 
so  taking  the  book  are  likely  to  glance  super- 
ficially at  the  points  with  which  you  wish  to 
impress  them  especially  and  miss  perhaps  some 
of  the  most  striking  passages,  thus  getting  a 
weak  impression  of  that  with  which  you  wish 
to  make  a  strong  impression,  and  coming  to 
an  unfavorable  conclusion  accordingly;  how- 
ever, there  are  some  very  strong  reasons  for 
placing  the  book  in  tin*  hands  of  a  customer 
at  certain  stages  in  your  canvass  where  you 
feel  that  you  can  do  so  successfully,  and  when 
you  feel  that  you  are  thoroughly  enough 
versed  in  the  work  so  that  you  can  become 
master  of  the  situation  at  any  mom 
whether  you  have  the  book  in  your  own  hands 
or  whether  your  customer  has  the  book.  When 
canvassing  a  mother  or  a  young  woman  it  is 
many  times  better  to  allow  her  to  glance  over 
the  table  of  contents  personally  without  your 
seeming  to  direct  her  attention.  You  can  open 
the  book  at  the  place  where  you  want  her 
to  beprin  and  then  busy  yourself  with  arrang- 
ing the  books  in  the  case  while  she  is  giving 
her  attention  to  the  table  of  contents.  Then 
when  she  has  gone  as  far  as  you  wish,  say  tact- 
fully, that  you  wish  to  call  her  attention  to 
some  other  particular  point  or  feature,  and 
then  take  the  book  back  into  your  own  hands. 

Then,  too,  in  calling  attention  to  particular 
passages  in  the  books,  there  are  some  passages 
which  are  very  strong  and  which,  while  they 


SUPPLEMENT.  371 

might  be  read  aloud  with  perfect  propriety, 
yet  at  the  same  time  might  make  a  better  and 
more  delicate  impression  if  you  allow  the 
woman  you  are  canvassing,  whether  old  or 
young,  to  read  the  passage  for  herself.  A  man 
when  canvassing  men,  or  a  woman  when  can- 
vassing women,  can  ordinarily  best  keep  the 
books  in  his  or  her  own  Lands.  Then,  too,  a 
very  telling  passage  if  poorly  read,  and  read 
with  the  wrong  expression,  will  be  weakened 
greatly  beyond  what  the  impression  would  be 
were  the  customer  to  read  it  directly  from  the 
book. 

It  will  be  noted  from  these  suggestions  that 
either  method  under  certain  circumstances  is 
advisable,  and  the  above  discussion  will  show 
the  reasons  and  enable  the  canvasser  to 
analyze  the  situation  for  himself  and  the  rea- 
sons for  either  method  of  procedure. 

664.  Closing  the  Order. — A  point  which  the 
new  solicitor  wants  to  learn  and  which  the  old 
solicitor  must  keep  ever  fresh  in  mind  is  that 
an  attempt  should  never  be  made  to  close  the 
order  until  a  sufficient  degree  of  desire  has 
been  created.  When  the  prospective  customer 
is  distinctly  on  the  defensive  and  shows  no  de- 
gree of  interest  in  your  proposition,  it  is  worse 
than  useless  to  attempt  taking  the  order.  Many 
solicitors  spoil  their  prospects  for  getting  an 
order  by  attempting  to  make  the  closing  too 
soon.  On  the  other  hand,  every  person  does 
not  express  his  interest  in  the  same  manner 
and  one  needs  to  be  very  careful  that  he  does 


372  SUPPLEMENT. 

not  under-estimate  the  degree  of  desire  he  has 
created. 

The  ease  and  the  natural  manner  -with  which 
you  come  up  to  the  point  of  really  dnsini:  the 
order  will  have  everything  to  do  with  the  final 
success  of  your  canvass,  for  remember  that 
ling  definite,  unconditional  orders,  dearly 
understood  as  such  hy  your  customers,  is  what 
you  are  after.  You  must  remove  the  impres- 
sion just  as  far  as  possible  from  their  minds 
that  you  are  trying  to  sell  them  something,  and 
take  the  attitude  rather  that  they,  of  con 
want  the  books  if  satisfactory  arrai 
can  be  made,  and  that  you  are  simply  arrang- 
ing the  details  in  a  way  to  best  suit  their  con- 
venience. As  a  variety  of  circumstances  will 
afford  the  desired  opportunity  for  closing  the 
order,  so  there  should  be  a  variety  of  state- 
ments which  will  lead  naturally  and  directly 
to  the  closing. 

In  a  regular,  uninterrupted  canvass,  a  good 
method  to  use  at  the  loirieal  close  of  your  can- 
vass is  to  say:  "Mrs.  Smith,  (taking  order 
book  from  pocket)  this  is  the  way  we  are 
doing  the  work.  We  take  your  order  now  for 
this  series  to  be  delivered  a  little  later  (state 
your  regular  date  of  delivery)  and  leave  you 
a  guarantee  from  the  publishers  that  the 
delivery  will  be  as  represented  and  agreed. 
You  then  have  an  opportunity  to  examine  the 
books  and  see  that  they  are  just  as  I  have 
represented,  before  you  pay  for  them.  Then 
it  might  be  a  convenience  to  you  if  I  would 
notify  you  by  postal  a  few  days  in  advance 


SUPPLEMENT.  373 

of  bringing  your  books  aud  if  you  will  just 
write  your  name  and  address  here  (handing 
her  order  book  and  pencil)!  can  drop  you  a  card 
telling  you  just  what  day  I  will  be  here. "  In  the 
meantime,  while  talking,  you  have  filled  out  the 
order  and  guarantee  complete.  Then  if  you 
feel  it  would  be  as  well  or  better  not  to  drop  a 
notification  card,  you  might  say  before  leaving, 
"I  do  not  notify  all  my  customers  in  advance 
of  when  I  am  coming,  as  it  is  a  saving  to  me 
where  I  do  not  have  to,  and  as  I  am  sure  you 
will  remember  the  date,  (state  again)  I  will 
not  drop  you  a  card  unless  you  wish  me  to 
do  so/'  Mrs.  Smith  will  nearly  always  say 
it  is  not  necessary,  and  it  will  leave  an  added 
impression  as  to  her  agreement  and  the  date 
for  fulfilling  it. 

When  the  customer  hesitates  for  any  reason, 
it  is  always  best  to  assume  that  the  date  of 
delivery  is  the  sole  objection,  and  say,  "I  can 
make  your  delivery  immediately,  if  that  will 
suit  you  better,"  then  if  the  customer  says, 
"No,"  you  can  assume  that  she  means  that  the 
earlier  date  would  not  suit  her  better  and  that 
the  later  date  would  be  satisfactory.  "Ail 
right,  Mrs.  Smith,  I  am  glad  the  later  date 
suits  you  best,  as  it  will  be  a  little  more  con- 
venient for  me,  and  I  will  arrange  to  make 
your  delivery  then  when  I  deliver  to  Mrs. 
9  and  Mrs. ."  The  same  tac- 
tics can  be  used  by  suggesting  a  later  date  than 
the  one  first  mentioned  where  it  is  possible  to 

do  so. 

Then,   too,   various    other   sentences   i 


durcd  either  in  the  regular  canvass  or  in  a 
reserve  talk  will  suggest  an  immediate  closing. 
For  instance,  "It  makes  one  feel  that  he  could 
not  possibly  get  along  without  such  teachings 
when  he  realizes  how  mu<  h   it   means  to  s 
cess  and  happiness,  doi-n't   it,  Mrs.  Sinith"f 
(pause  for  reply.)      "Yes,   it   surely   •! 
"That  is  what  thousands  of  mothers  have  said. 
and  I  was  sure  you  would  feel  the  same.    AY 
y<»ur  permission  then.  I  will  arrange  to  bi 
your  books  when  I  deliver  to  Mrs.  -  and 
Mrs.  -  ." 

The  Proper  Attitude.—  It  will,  in  • 
ahce,  put  you  on  a  better  footing  with  \ 
prospective  customer  if  you  assume  that  they 
\\ill,  of  course,  be  just  as  much  interested  in 
the  proposition  as  you  are  and  take  the  po- 
sition not  too  boldly,  and  yet  confidently,  that 
they  will  be  more  than  glad  of  the  opportunity 
to  invest  in  your  proposition.    Assume  that  in- 
stead of  your  attempting  to  convince  them  of 
the  value  of  your  proposition,  you  are  simply 
explaining  it  so  that  they  may  unders 
particular  value  to  them  and  see  clearly  be- 
fore they  make  the  investment  how  they  ean 
make  use  of  it  in  a  way  to  receive  the  grea1 
benefit, 

666.  Companion  Books.  —  How  to  link  the 
books  closely  in  pairs  so  that  your  sale  where 
you  fail  in  getting  the  order  for  the  Series 
will  always  be  of  two  books,  where  othen 


SUPPLEMENT.  375 

it  might  be  only  one,  is  a  very  important  mat- 
ter for  study. 

There  are  certain  books  in  the  Series  which 
always  stand  closely  related  in  their  applica- 
tion to  different  individuals.  For  the  young 
boy,  the  mother  should  have  "Young  Boy" 
and  "Young  Man";  for  herself  she  should 
have  ' '  Wife  "  and  "  Husband, ' '  for  the  mother 
of  thirty  and  beyond,  "Man  of  45"  and 
'* Woman  of  45"  also;  for  the  young  girl,  the 
mother  should  have  "Young  Girl"  and  "Young 
Woman";  the  mature  young  woman  should 
have  "Young  Woman"  and  "Young  Wife" 
especially  and  ought  to  have  also  "Young 
Man"  and  "  Young  Husband";  the  young  man 
likewise  should  have  "Young  Man"  and 
"Young  Husband"  and  ought  to  have  also 
1 1  Young  Woman  "  and  "  Young  Wife. ' '  These 
suggestions  followed  out  will  enable  you  al- 
ways to  group  and  combine  the  books  in  a 
way  to  make  all  your  sales  the  largest  possi- 
ble. 

667.  "What  a  Young  Wife  Ought  to 
Know." — In  canvassing  a  young  woman  or  a 
young  wife  always  use  the  word  "young"  in 
referring  to  the  title,  but  in  canvassing  an 
older  married  woman  it  is  better  to  refer  to 
it  as  the  volume  for  the  wife  and  mother.  Both 
references  are  accurate  and  truthful,  but  not 
knowing  the  contents  the  older  woman  is  like- 
ly to  be  slightly  prejudiced  against  it  if  she 
thinks  it  for  a  young  wife  especially,  while  the 


376  SUPPLEMENT. 

young  woman  or  young  wife  will  be  more  at- 
tracted by  a  book  to  young  wives. 

668.  Endorsements — Study  all  the  endorse- 
ments thoughtfully  with  a  view  to  the 
weight  certain  ones  will  have  with  particular 
persons  you  are  canvassing.  Wherever  possi- 
ble, make  the  endorsements  just  fit  the  person 
you  are  canvassing.  Make  it  suit  him  reli- 
giously and  temperamentally  as  far  as  you  can 
judge  him  and  make  it  at  the  same  time  answer 
his  particular  objections  and  prejudices  as  he 
may  have  expressed  them. 


WORK  HARD. 

"The  Luck  that  I  believe  in 

Is  that  which  comes  with  WORK, 
And  no  one  ever  finds  it 

Who's  content  to  wish  and  shirk. 
The  men  the  world  calls  Lucky 

Will  tell  you,  every  one, 
That  success  comes  not  by  wishing, 

But  by  HARD  WORK,  bravely  done/ 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN     INITIAL    FINE      OF     25     CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  5O  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


31  1935 


/  d? 


R 

LOAN  DEPT. 

OCT23  1980 
[APR  2  4 1981 

ttC.  GIL  MAY  1 1  '81 


INTERLIBRARY  LOAN 

AUG2  ,^1989 

UNIV.  OF  CALIF.,  BERK. 


LI)  21-50* 


270245 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


